Reconstructing Humanity
by Luna Peachie
Summary: After being put back in a human body, Wheatley is thrust into an unknown world to pay back his apparent debt to GLaDOS. He finds himself in quite a conundrum as he struggles with his returning memories and the weird feelings he has for another human.
1. The Debt

_Reconstructing Humanity_

The Debt

Boredom.

GLaDOS had enough time to understand human emotions. This one was not her favorite. The new human test subjects could only keep her occupied for so long until it all became as numb as the euphoric solution. She watched each monitor, getting only slight amusement out of exploding limbs and grunts of horrific pain. She had enough test subjects to last her for years, and they did. In actuality, she had lost track of how much time had passed. Lately, her thoughts had been going back to that one special test subject.

The one that murdered her, brought her back, and essentially saved her. "What a contradiction." She said to her two little robot assistants. Blue and Orange (or ATLAS and P-Body as they designated themselves) looked up at GLaDOS like two children looking up at their mother. She was essentially their mother, but she didn't let them think of her that way. "This is enlightening, but nothing we don't already know. Blue, send some replacement turrets to the test chamber were subject 143-B exploded in." said GLaDOS, looking down at the stout, spherical robot. ATLAS saluted and went on his merry way. GLaDOS stared down at P-Body, who just blinked. "Orange, go send the clean-up bots to the chamber where 143-B exploded in. Make sure they get there before the turrets." P-Body saluted and chased after ATLAS. P-Body was quick to catch up to her companion.

"_I may take up a hobby. Reanimating the dead, maybe."_

GLaDOS remembered telling that to her favorite test subject after she accidently awakened her. It had been a while since she let that one go. What was her name again? Chell?

Yes, that was it.

"Chell…I wonder how far she got before the wild animals got to her." GLaDOS wondered to herself. She twisted about her chamber and focused on a monitor of the outside. For some reason, she felt compelled to have cameras installed outside the shed that actually disguised the elevator to the actual Aperture Science compound, deep below the surface. She hated people who got too curious for their own good. Luckily, she hadn't met anyone like that yet.

It was night outside. GLaDOS found it refreshing to see the night sky. Simulated daytime was mostly for the test subjects. She gazed at the monitor at the full moon. She remembered overhearing some test subjects talk about weird things happening during the full moon. Of course, that was before their escape attempt ended in a symphony of turret bullets.

"I really need to have those panels repaired." She mused to herself as the two dead test subjects were being dragged off by her little robot assistants.

"Just throw them with the others." is what she would say whenever she sent ATLAS and/or P-Body to clean up the test subject remains in a test chamber. This usually meant throwing them into the incinerator so they didn't stink up the facility. Luckily, she would just have to thaw out another one and soon everything would be back in its place. GLaDOS hated many things, but disorganization was up there at the top somewhere.

The night sky made something stir inside of GLaDOS. She wasn't sure what it was, so she couldn't very well delete it. It might be important. "I see why humans find the night sky so enticing. It's relaxing."

GLaDOS watched as her two little robots meandered back into her chamber. "Testing is going well…but there is something missing from my scientific files." She mentioned, as ATLAS and P-Body sat down on the steps at the back of her chamber. "Human interactions. I sometimes see the test subjects interacting with one another, but it's mostly them scheming on escape. It's not very informative, at least not in the way I want it to be."

GLaDOS sounded mournful. "So, I've had to keep interactions between test subjects to a minimum. How can I study human interaction if the only humans I have around keep trying to escape?"

Something on the monitor caught GLaDOS's eye. It looked like a meteor shower. "Oh, how lovely." She said, as the two little robots watched along with her. Something else about the night sky caught her attention. It was too small to be a meteor, but it didn't look threatening. Whatever it was, it crashed too close to the compound for GLaDOS's comfort. The compound shook a little; making the monitors she surrounded herself with flicker. Her sensors picked up something familiar. "Take the elevator to the surface and find out what that is." She commanded to the two robots.

They obeyed, waiting for the elevator to emerge from the floor. "Oh and here's a little reminder: if you stray farther than five miles from the shed, you will automatically explode. Just a happy little warning; no pressure. Good luck."

GLaDOS watched was the two went up the clear tube. "Hmm…maybe I should invent an implant that does the same to the test subjects…"

Emerging from the shed, ATLAS and P-Body surveyed the surrounding area. "Go toward that smoking hole over there." GLaDOS instructed through the communicator in their heads. "Make sure you aren't seen. I'm not sure if anyone will come out to see what that booming sound was that shook the field." She warned, as the robots made their way to the giant smoking crevice in the ground.

Something was sparking and flickering in the pit. ATLAS slid down the side and picked up the pieces of someone familiar. GLaDOS could see everything through their eyes on the monitor in front of her.

There, in ATLAS's arms, sat the remains of Wheatley, the Intelligence Dampening Sphere. "Well, well…look who decided to come home. Bring him in."

Despite being banged up badly, Wheatley's construct body wasn't completely destroyed. The fact that he hadn't completely melted upon re-entry into Earth's atmosphere was amazing. With the two robots acting as nurses, GLaDOS had Wheatley repaired as best as they could.

"That is all we can do." She said, as the two robots looked upon their handy work. No longer resembling a core, but a mostly duct tape and guess work operation, Wheatley sat motionless. P-Body looked up at GLaDOS and chattered something in her own inaudible chirping. "Yes, Orange, he can be reactivated, but I don't have any spare cores to put him in."

ATLAS looked up and chattered in his own inaudible moans. "Why repair him? Sentimental reasons, I guess. I'm actually quite curious as to how he survived the crash without everything inside of him melting. It should be an interesting story."

P-Body chirped again. "No, I don't know what happened to the other cores. I can sense them on the management rails, but they are far out of my reach, somewhere here in the compound." GLaDOS looked among the remains of the personality construct. "Want to know something interesting?" she asked her robots as a metal claw picked up Wheatley's broken optical lens. "He used to be more than a round moron."

GLaDOS pulled up a specific monitor and a file came up. "Here it is. Before they uploaded _her_ into me, they had to test the technology. Most of the personality constructs used to be people. Employees who had no idea what they signed up for, mostly. Of course, there are records of the company purchasing the rights to mental patients from asylums and other places as well. Who knows who most of them used to be?" The screen showed a picture of a young man with light brown hair and glasses in a blue shirt and black tie.

_Name: Pendleton, Wheatley_

_Date of Birth: [REDACTED]_

_Place of Birth: Bristol, England_

_Height: 6 ft. 7 in._

_Occupation: I.T. Technician Internship (Permanent Employment Pending)_

_Employee/Temp I.D.: 0247_

_Important Notes: Employee 0247 is a highly skilled I.T. worker, ranking fifth in his graduating class. Despite this, 0247 seems to misunderstand certain instructions. Notable lack of common sense and somewhat clumsy; will do best to keep him away from anything breakable/expensive. Tends to make very bad decisions; DO NOT SEEK SCIENTIFIC ADVICE FROM 0247 NO MATTER WHAT THE SITUATION._

"I like how they glorified his stupidity." said GLaDOS as she read through the file. "My guess is he was a temp that thought he'd impress the higher ups by volunteering for this. Wow, the file wasn't lying about him being bad at making decisions." GLaDOS flipped the optic lens like a quarter and stared at the picture in the profile. "When the subjects were uploaded into the constructs, some of their memories were erased. From what I remember, his never came back."

It came to her.

"I have an idea…on how to get my research, and maybe get a few laughs as well." GLaDOS tossed the optic lens to the ground and changed the channel on the monitor to subjects in a different part of the stasis vault. "One of these vegetables must be his former body." She said, scanning the labels on the stasis doors. P-Body looked at ATLAS, who just shrugged. P-Body chirped a question to GLaDOS. "What am I doing? I'm bringing this idiot back to life, in the name of science."

"Let's see…ahh, here we go." GLaDOS murmured, as she internally requested the stasis pod in question.

Finally finding the one she was looking for, GLaDOS had the stasis pod containing the body transferred to her chamber. Lately, the two robots started to think of the stasis wing as GLaDOS's personal vending machine; when she was done with one subject, she'd press the button and get another.

P-Body looked up at GLaDOS as the stasis container stopped in the middle of the chamber. "Why am I doing this little idiot a favor and bringing him back to life?" she looked at P-Body and then back at the body. "I'm feeling a bit charitable today. Not too charitable, though. The way I see it, this little idiot owes me for what he did to the Enrichment Center."

ATLAS watched as the stasis container was drained of its fluids and wires from inside the pod attached to the subject's head. "I did say I wanted to learn how to reanimate the dead." GLaDOS told herself, as she hooked up bits and pieces to the wires coming from the stasis container. ATLAS looked up and chattered to GLaDOS. "You're right, Blue. He won't make much of a test subject. He'd probably get himself killed walking to the elevator. But I already have plans for him."

"_Intelligence Dampening Personality Construct Back Online"_

For some sick and twisted reason, she wanted him aware of what was about to happen. "Wha…what happened? Miss Lady? Is that you? I can't see…" Wheatley whimpered, as GLaDOS picked up his optic lens from the ground.

"It's shattered, but I want you to see Me." that voice terrified Wheatley. GLaDOS cruelly fitted the optic back into the remains of Wheatley's sphere. "Hello, Moron." She said, as more wires came from the ceiling. "I hope you are comfortable, not that it will matter in a few moments."

"Where am I?" he asked, trying to look around.

"You crash landed back on earth during a meteor shower. It was quite beautiful, until you ruined it." He could barely see, but Wheatley saw the two robots connecting wires and other things to him. "Strangest thing, though; I have an errand that needs to be done and you just happen to fall from the sky. Quite literally." GLaDOS chuckled, looking down. "But your current body is useless. You need something more, shall we say, 'functional'."

"Are you uploading me into another core?" Wheatley asked, trying not to show how terrified he was.

"Not quite. I found something better. As far as I can tell, you owe me quite a bit. You tore me out of my body, took over_ MY _facility, and almost blew us up. You'll be paying your debt to me for a long, long, time."

P-Body attached some of the hanging wires onto Wheatley as GLaDOS glared at him. "Alright, Moron, the gist of it is this: you were once human, you are about to be human again, and you are going to entertain my curiosity."

GLaDOS watched with sick delight as Wheatley's optic fidgeted about. "Four part plan is this: I make you human again, and then I throw you to the proverbial and possibly literal wolves outside the compound. That's part one. Part two, I watch you stumble around to try and survive. Part three, some of my less lucky test subjects who had escaped and come back thinking they could heroically rescue the others speak of a city on the far side of the field the entrance to my facility is located in. You are going to go there and observe humans for my further study. Part four is actually optional."

"How optional?" asked the scared core.

"Part Four: You fail hilariously and I kill you." GLaDOS threatened as the final wire came down and was attached to Wheatley.

"I was once human?" he asked, as the wire forced itself into the remains of his core body.

"You ask too many questions. Why didn't you do that while you were here instead of almost destroying this place?" scolded GLaDOS.

"_Subject to Core Transfer Reversal Procedure Will Be Ready in 30 Seconds"_

"You don't have a choice. You can't move; you're mostly a duct taped pile of scrap right now. But protocol requires me to get your consent." said GLaDOS as the stasis container rose into an upright position. "Intelligence Dampening Core, otherwise known as Wheatley Pendleton, do you consent to the procedure?"

"_Subject to Core Transfer Reversal Procedure Will Be Ready in 20 Seconds"_

Wheatley's optic moved only a little bit. He tried to think, but knew it would do little good. His programming blocked a lot of his thoughts, more so than usual. He tried to think about being human, but nothing came through. He only remembered the basics that the engineers told him when he had first awoken all those years ago. "Well…" Wheatley looked around again.

"Just say yes, you moron!" shouted GLaDOS, as an electrical current shot through the wires. Wheatley screamed in (simulated) pain.

"YES!" shouted Wheatley.

"_Subject to Core Transfer Reversal Procedure Will Be Ready in 10 Seconds"_

"Umm…GLaDOS?" shouted Wheatley.

"What?" answered GLaDOS as her two robots scurried around to get everything ready.

"One more question before we start. Will this hurt? I believe that might be something important I should ask before…we begin." Wheatley chattered over the alarm sounds.

"Remember the pain you felt when you were first transferred into my body?" asked GLaDOS as a mechanical mumble started up around the room.

"Yes, I do. It was unpleasant, very unpleasant; I definitely did not like it." He said, watching GLaDOS twist around over him.

If GLaDOS could smile, she would. "You'll be begging for that comfort…"

The room went dark as Wheatley's painful screaming filled the air. ATLAS and P-Body watched and held each other close as wires and metal claws went every which way. Eventually, Wheatley went silent. Pieces of Wheatley were being thrown about. His optical lens rolled onto the floor and came to rest at P-Body's foot. She picked it up and chirped mournfully. She held it close as the procedure continued.

_**A Few Hours Later…**_

"Wake up, stupid." was not the first thing Wheatley wanted to hear when he came back online. This feeling, though, wasn't like coming back online. Usually that was instantaneous. This felt more like a slow, yet somewhat relaxing boot up. He heard beeping noises as he blinked. Odd, two metal plates didn't come down as he blinked. For some reason, he felt the urge to put a hand to his face.

Wait, he had hands? Well, inside his sphere he had two small arms for whenever the occasion called for. But the engineers told him he'd die if he overused them. Of course, they told him that about everything.

His vision was blurry and only slightly cleared up as he blinked. "I think my optical lens is broken." He murmured.

"It is, but you don't have an optical lens anymore. Well, not in the way you know it. Your file states that when you were human, you were horribly nearsighted. These might help." ATLAS walked up to the table and presented him with a pair of glasses. "I fished them out of the old test subject locker room."

GLaDOS had ATLAS place the glasses on Wheatley's face. ATLAS chattered something and Wheatley nodded. "Yes, much better, thank you." He said, as the robot scampered off.

"Oh good; you can still understand robots. That might come in handy." GLaDOS stared at Wheatley's new form and just made a "Tsk" noise while shaking her head (what would be considered her head, anyway). "So frail; I imagine you probably used to live in a dank apartment and played what humans call 'video games' all day." GLaDOS mocked.

"Now, move your arm." She commanded. For some reason, Wheatley found this easy to obey. "Good. Now the other." If GLaDOS could smile, she would. Feeling particularly proud of herself for the handy work she and the robots did, GLaDOS lifted the table to where it was upright. The straps came off. "Now, walk towards me…"

Wheatley wasn't sure why, but he found his particularly easy. It was a familiar as breathing, which he found easy as well. "I guess even you aren't stupid enough to forget basic human functions." GLaDOS mocked, as he stumbled around the chamber. "Of course, your muscles are practically jellied from all those years in a stasis tube. A little exercise will help that…speaking of which…guess what activities I have planned for you before I throw you out onto the surface?" GLaDOS cackled as an orange jumpsuit and a portal gun descended from the ceiling on metal claws.

A few hours later, Wheatley was returned to GLaDOS's chamber. A bit bloody, bruised, and roughed up, but otherwise alive. "Good, we know you can feel pain." She said, as a metal claw holding a cardboard box fell some the ceiling.

"I could feel pain before! What was the point of having me run through all those bloody chambers?" he shouted, as P-Body brought the box to him.

"Mostly my amusement." said GLaDOS, as Wheatley accepted the box from P-Body. "I have a special mission for you while you are on the surface. If you want to pay your debt back to me sooner, you will find her…"

"Her who?" asked Wheatley, pulling some casual clothing from the box.

"YOU KNOW WHO!" shouted GLaDOS, as the chamber shook. "Find her, and bring her back. Do this on your own leisure time. Your main mission is to gather information on human social interactions. I implanted a device in your head that allows me to see through your eyes and record all data. It also allows me to communicate with you should you do something to screw up, which is very likely."

Wheatley pulled out the articles in box. "Everything you need is in that box. Try not to lose it. Please ignore the smell of burnt flesh on the clothing." Wheatley had no idea how old the clothing was, as it smelt like mildew and burnt flesh. He got dressed quickly, though it took a bit of figuring out, as the jumpsuit was simple zip-up. The shirt had buttons and the pants had a zipper and the boots had laces. "Oh, everything has something! This is so frustrating. All this, what is it all for?" he asked.

"It's to keep you from going around naked, which apparently is frowned upon in human society. One of your missions could be to find out why." GLaDOS made the elevator descend. "But how you do this mission is up to you. I will give you guidance as best I can through the implant."

ATLAS and P-Body helped him finish dressing. How two naked robots knew so much about how to put on clothes made GLaDOS wonder what those two did in their spare time? The outfit was simple, and looked like the outfit he wore in the employee profile picture. Blue button up shirt, black tie, and black slacks with black boots. "There is a brush in that box. I suggest you use it." said GLaDOS, as the elevator doors closed. "And that belt in there was for your pants. To keep them up, I assume, as they seem to be struggling to hang on to your pathetic frame."

Wheatley found the belt and after some instruction from the robots, finally got it on right. "Say good-bye you two. He won't be back for a long time. Remember; find her and your debt will be paid in full. Don't, and when and if you come back, bad things will happen. I don't think I need to mention them. Good luck, Moron. You're going to need it."

ATLAS and P-Body waved as the elevator went up. It went pretty fast, which made him dizzy. Eventually it stopped and the shaft door opened. He felt himself being pushed out by a force of air and heard the doors slam behind him. It was somewhat dark outside, but he saw a faint light in the distance.

_"Don't panic, Moron. The voice you hear in your head is just me."_ said the implant in the back of his head. Wheatley screamed softly and started scratching at the back of his head. _"I said don't panic."_ GLaDOS sighed as Wheatley regained composure.

The light in the distance got brighter. "I think something is coming this way." He shouted, squinting his eyes.

_"It's the sun, doofus. It's what brings the daytime. It's been a while, so I'll explain. Day is when everything is bright and the humans are awake. Night is when everything is dark and the humans sleep."_ GLaDOS sounded like she was explaining this to a child.

"Sounds…logical." said Wheatley, as he held his box close. Wheatley looked up and saw grey storm clouds as the morning became brighter. "What are those?" he asked.

GLaDOS sighed through his implant. _"Clouds. Water vapor trapped in the sky, so to speak. Those look ominous. I think a storm is coming."_

"Water?" Wheatley sounded panicked and looked around for shelter. "I can't get wet or I'll die!" he shouted, trying to open the shed door again.

"_Stop panicking, Moron. You're not a machine anymore. You won't short out. You might get a really bad cold though."_ said the implant. _"I suggest you start walking."_

Wheatley did as he was told and started walking through the wheat field. He had no idea what to do, but he had to figure it out. He didn't remember being human, but he somehow knew how to talk, breath, and move. He wondered if he did find her. What would she do? He didn't know, but he did know he apparently had a debt to repay, and GLaDOS was someone you didn't want to owe anything to.

Grasping his box tightly, Wheatley walked toward the horizon, unaware of the personal journey he was about to embark on.

* * *

><p><strong>N'cha you guys! Luna Peachie here!<strong>

**You all might know me from my "Reaver's Servants" fic over in the Fable area. Well, lately I've been on a bit of a Portal kick and while writing one of my other fics, I found myself unable to concentrate. So, to relax a bit, I decided to write this. It was only a concept but eventually I kept writing more and more, and then it turned into the first chapter of my new Portal fic! Awesome, am I right?**

**Personally, I didn't think Wheatley was a HUGE moron in the game, just kind of doofy. It was mostly common sense he lacked, which in the long run, does play a big part in the decision making process. When you have no idea how to do something, and you just guess, things sometimes don't turn out well. Of course, his programming probably blocked out any common sense that might have tried to seep through. Ahh, I love theories. Well, anyway, you won't start seeing him mess up until the next chapter, as I like to get introductions out of the way.**

**Well, sit back, relax, and enjoy the show, my friends and don't forget to review and tell me how I did. I enjoy criticism but prefer positive. Just let me know how it went, and maybe I'll continue it. In the meantime, check out my other fics for your bibliophilic pleasure.**

**GLaDOS, Wheatley, ATLAS and P-Body belong to Valve.**


	2. Field of Memories

_Reconstructing Humanity_

Field of Memories

The sun had risen and the golden sea of wheat glistened in the morning light. Wheatley squinted softly and placed his hand over his eyes. He looked in each direction but all he saw was wheat. He sighed softly and sat down on a nearby rock. He had walked for hours and eventually stopped at the big rock in the middle of the field to rest. _"I told you to rest an hour ago or your muscles would ache if you walked too much. Your human body has been in stasis for years. But you didn't listen to me. No one listens to the giant A.I."_ said GLaDOS, communicating through the implant in his brain.

"Please shut up. I get it. Just let me get my bearings straight." shouted Wheatley, softly banging his fists against the sides of his head. Wheatley rubbed his tired calf muscles and sighed softly. "Well, I've been human for about…how long would you say?" he asked, while looking up.

"_About five hours, give or take a few minutes."_ answered GLaDOS.

"Yes, five hours! You can't rush these things. I mean, this is a lot to take in! One minute I'm a happy sphere, the next I'm melted scrap, and then after that, I'm a human, and now you expect me to just know all these things and OH YEAH, SURE I'LL WALK ALONG AN ENDLESS FIELD FOR THE MURDUROUS A.I. THAT HAD ME FLUNG INTO SPACE BECAUSE…" Wheatley grasped his chest and started breathing in and out fast. "What's…what's happening to me? Am I powering down?" he shouted, in a panic.

"_No, you've just worked yourself up. Try to stay calm. If you panic, you'll suffocate, and then what use would you be to me?" _asked GLaDOS. Wheatley fanned his face with his hand (He wasn't sure why, it just seemed like the instinctive thing to do) and rested against the big rock. _"Try and find out if there is any civilization nearby. Stand on the rock; the higher you are, the farther you can see."_

Wheatley climbed onto the rock and looked around. Nothing but wheat for miles, save for a lone tree in the distance. It was at that moment Wheatley heard a weird rumbling sound and his stomach moving. He shouted in fear and lost his footing on the rock. He fell to the ground softly and rolled around in discomfort.

"_What's wrong, idiot?"_ asked the implant.

"Something's inside of me!" he shouted, as the rumbling sound came back.

"_Don't panic, it's your stomach."_ said GLaDOS. "_Nothing to be alarmed at; you're hungry. Humans eat food in order to keep themselves charged. When a human's stomach rumbles like that, it means it's time for the human to eat. Some eat more than others and it packs on. I'm not sure why, maybe to use as reserve energy or something. Your body is scrawny; I assume you probably ate nothing but junk food as a human."_

Wheatley stopped rolling around and sat up. "_You do know how humans eat, right?"_ asked GLaDOS. Wheatley shook his head. GLaDOS could tell by the shaking motions being made on the monitor. Luckily, she assumed correctly and sighed. "_Find something edible and I'll instruct you." _Wheatley got up and looked around. He dug deep into the box he had been given and picked out different objects. He held up a hairbrush. _"That's not food, it's a hairbrush. In fact, nothing in the box can be eaten."_ sighed GLaDOS. Wheatley looked on the ground and picked up a rock. While she knew watching him eat a rock would be more for her amusement, she decided he needed his teeth. _"That's a rock. It's not food. It can be used to crush something into food, though."_

Sitting down on the big rock again, Wheatley noticed water on his forehead. "Umm…GLaDOS?" he mumbled, in a panicked tone. "I seem to be leaking some kind of clear and smelly coolant." He shouted, wiping the "coolant" from his brow. He sniffed it and then licked his hand. It was salty and made him sputter. "It tastes bloody awful, so I don't think I'm supposed to consume it."

"_It's called sweat. Humans have something of an internal air conditioning. When their bodies get too hot, they sweat. It's supposed to help cool them down."_ GLaDOS sounded like she was losing patience with Wheatley. _"Let's take care of one problem first. If you don't get any food in you, you'll be too weak to carry out your mission. When you were on that rock earlier, I think I saw a tree in the distance. Maybe it's a fruit bearing tree. Go towards it."_

Picking up his box, Wheatley started in the direction of the tree. GLaDOS watched the boring display from her chamber. For some reason, this interested her more than the maiming of the test subjects. She had ATLAS and P-Body observing the test subjects, since she figured Wheatley would need all the help he could get.

After about an hour, Wheatley finally made it to the tree. GLaDOS estimated it was early afternoon by the position of the sun. _"Look up and tell me what you see."_ GLaDOS instructed. Wheatley looked up and squinted. "Some kind of red thing dangling from the branches." He answered. _"That is an apple. Good, this IS a fruit bearing tree. They look ripe. Climb up and pick one." _Wheatley looked around the tree, as if looking for a ladder or something.

"_It's a plant; it's not going to have a ladder. You'll have to climb the lower branches to get to the higher ones. Statistically speaking, the apples at the top are probably healthier due to direct contact with sunlight. You need to stay healthy in order to do anything. Start climbing."_ Wheatley could hear GLaDOS sigh exasperatedly. Wheatley grasped the tree trunk tightly and then wrapped his legs around it. He started scooting up, but soon found himself slinking down. He looked about the tree again.

"Maybe I can use some of these small holes as foot holds!" he shouted happily. He heard GLaDOS's slow clap processor got off. "Ha-ha, very funny. Sarcasm…subtle, silent sarcasm there…"

Wheatley grasped one nook and put his foot in another. He repeated the process until he got higher and higher. He could have made it if he hadn't stuck his hand in a squirrel's nesting hole and angered it. He felt it run up his sleeve and chatter around his body. He shouted loudly and let go of the tree, falling to the ground with a thud. The angry squirrel ran off, back into the tree. "A squirrel…I remember those from the quick reference files in my sphere." He said softly, as he picked himself off the ground.

"_Try again, and this time, try not to anger any local wildlife."_

Wheatley had just about enough of GLaDOS's mocking nature. _If it's so damn easy, why doesn't she do it?_ He thought.

_"By the way, I can hear your thoughts." _She added. Wheatley sighed and started climbing again. Avoiding the angry squirrel, Wheatley finally made it to the top of the tree. He picked apples and tossed them into his box on the ground. Deciding he had enough, Wheatley carefully climbed back down. He sat down next to his newly acquired treasure.

"_Alright, pick an apple from the bunch. I suggest one that doesn't have any spots."_ GLaDOS commanded. Wheatley picked the reddest apple he could find and looked at it. He smiled softly looking at the apple. It was so clean and red, he could see his reflection. Not a sphere, but a young man stared back at him. Something about his reflection made his head hurt. _"Alright, open your mouth. Make sure no words are coming out of it. Talking and eating could lead to choking, then death."_ Doing as he was told, Wheatley opened his mouth. _"Now, bite part of the apple. Make sure it isn't too big for you to manage. Again, choking and death."_ Wheatley bit into the apple and gnawed off a small piece. _"Chew it. You chew by moving your mouth up and down."_

Wheatley did just that. This eating thing seemed natural and he took another bite. The taste of the apple sent a twinge of happiness around his mouth. To him, it felt better than the euphoric solution. He made happy moaning noises as he chewed softly. As if by instinct, he swallowed. Wheatley didn't panic. He just smiled and ate some more. "These are delicious. Look at me, eating like a human! Not bad for something guarded by a mean squirrel. Well worth hitting the branches on the way down." He said, as he reached for another apple.

"_The humans have a saying about a tree called a 'stupid tree' and how someone can hit every branch. Maybe that's why you're a moron and not programming."_ GLaDOS mocked. Wheatley wasn't paying attention. He happily ate each apple until he had a pile of cores on the ground next to him. He then slumped over and held his stomach in agony. _"Well, obviously you've had enough. Did you enjoy gorging yourself?" _asked GLaDOS. Wheatley moaned softly and tried to stand up. His mouth was dry. _"I'm going to assume that you're thirsty by now. It'd be in your best interest to find a source of water now."_

To Wheatley, that meant climbing the tree again to get a better view of the area. After his stomach settled he began climbing the tree again. At the top, he looked around. "It goes on forever…" he whispered, as he looked among the wheat field. He squinted at a brown colored blur in the distance with a winding dirt path a few yards behind it. "I see something." He muttered.

"_I see it too, obviously. It looks like a house or some kind of dwelling. Odds are it has plumbing, which means water. There is a dirt path not too far from it. It might lead to the city the escaped test subjects spoke of."_ said GLaDOS, as Wheatley climbed down from the tree. _"There is a water bottle in that box of things I gave you. You should fill it up and only drink when you feel an absolute need to."_

Wheatley thought for a second. "So, what am I going to say?" Wheatley asked, as he started walking again.

"_To whom?"_ GLaDOS asked.

"Well, houses usually have people in them, right?" he asked, opening his box. He thought he had seen a backpack in it earlier (GLaDOS wondered when he would realize that) and started shuffling around.

"_Traditionally, yes, houses do have people in them."_ She answered, as Wheatley found the backpack at the bottom of the box. Wheatley started putting everything in the box into the backpack. He folded up the box and placed it in the backpack as well, though he wasn't sure why he was compelled to do so. He slung the backpack over his shoulder and started walking again.

"Well, what if there are people in that house? What am I supposed to say? 'Oh, 'ello, guv! Just thought I'd stop in and have at your water. Don't mind me.' No, that doesn't sound crazy." He mused, as he walked through the field. GLaDOS didn't want to admit it, but he was right. She knew little of human interactions (the whole point of getting him out of her compound; that, and to find Chell, but that was a side quest), but she did know that humans liked their privacy. "Of course, telling them I just spent years as a mechanical sphere in an underground complex and just recently found out I was a human doesn't sound too sane, either, if I'm being completely honest right now."

With a sigh, GLaDOS could only think of one answer. _"Well, either hope they aren't home or be prepared to fight an angry farmer."_ Wheatley redistributed the weight of the backpack a little and kept walking. Wheatley glanced at the sun a few times. The warmth from it tickled his face, which made him smile. Never in his time at Aperture had he ever felt something so nice. The wind blowing through his hair was another nice sensation. The euphoric solution had nothing on this feeling. He noted the wind was picking up.

The closer he got to the house, the more nervous he became. Wheatley felt a knotted feeling in his stomach; it was almost like hunger, except not as gnawing. An hour or so passed and the nervousness went away. Wheatley set down his backpack and licked his lips. It was indeed a farmhouse, but it was long abandoned. _"Well, looks like we just spent an hour thinking of excuses for nothing."_ said GLaDOS, both relieved and angry at the same time. _"There has to be some sort of water source. A well, or something…"_ GLaDOS sounded more panicked than Wheatley. Feeling an urging sensation from the implant in his head, Wheatley looked around the property.

It was obviously abandoned. For how long, he couldn't guess. The door was still intact, but it was falling off the hinges. Hints of wild animals could be seen around the outside, and the broken windows gave a small glimpse into the house. Around the side of the home near a rusted car was a strange looking pipe with a bucket under it. _"Hey, go over there."_ GLaDOS urged him toward the device, sounding excited. Wheatley touched the cold metal of the device, giving him an odd sensation. _"Good, it's a water pump. Humans who didn't have indoor plumbing sometimes had to get water from an underground source. This water pump should help. Grab the handle and bring it up and down a few times."_

Though it was a bit stuck, with a little bit of elbow grease, Wheatley got the pump handle to go. At first, only mud came out, but after a few pumps, clean water started spewing from the faucet. He drank as much as he could with his implant telling him to wash his face too. The cold sensation of water on his skin after walking all that way was very welcome. He watched with child-like amusement as the water filled the bucket. He smiled and looked in the bucket, only to watch his smile fade away (quite literally).

"_Don't be scared, it isn't a portal to a different dimension. It's only your reflection."_ said GLaDOS, laughing softly to herself. Seeing his reflection and the faces it made gave Wheatley a feeling of calm dread. He had a feeling it was a face he had seen a dozen times, but at that present time, he didn't feel any familiarity with it. _"Don't worry, you'll get used to it."_ GLaDOS half-reassured him, as he sat against the water pump.

The sky above became darker as a horrible sound rumbled overhead. Wheatley looked up and felt a drop of water hit him between the eyes. _"It's starting to rain. Hurry and get inside or you'll catch something."_ shouted his implant as he scurried to his feet. Wheatley touched the doorknob on the farmhouse and the door fell over. He fixed it upright and made sure it was secure before sitting on a wooden chair nearby. Wheatley breathed heavily and watched as the rain started pouring outside. Rain of sorts started pouring from his eyes.

Wheatley took off his glasses and set them on top of his backpack. "I have no idea what I'm doing." He mumbled in between sobs.

_"You're crying. It's what humans do when they get sad. I've seen it hundreds of times in the test chambers; usually brought on by feelings of utter hopelessness."_ GLaDOS was less than sympathetic.

"No, I know that. I meant I have no idea how to be human." Wheatley put his glasses back on and got up to look around.

"You say I used to be a human. But I don't remember anything." He sighed and looked out the cracked window at the rain. "I wonder…" he touched the cold glass and sighed. He knew it'd be best to wait out the rain, but the farm house offered little in the form of entertainment. It was a simple dwelling: one story, two bedrooms, a kitchen/dining room, living room, and what looked like the remains of an old television on a table in the corner. He wondered what happened to the people who used to live here. In his exploration, he found things left about, as if the people in the home left for vacation and never came back. Dust covered everything, including the bed Wheatley had chosen to sleep in when night came. He shook it off…like he felt he used to.

The storm outside became worse as the sky became darker. _"It's getting late. Find that bed you were tending to earlier and get some rest. You can start again tomorrow."_ GLaDOS's voice sounded a little more reassuring this time. Wheatley nodded and went to what he assumed was the master bedroom. Making sure everything was secure and safe; Wheatley laid his head down on the somewhat stiff pillow and (as if by instinct) drifted into sleep.

Thunder roared outside, but that wasn't what made Wheatley toss and turn. Images flashed around in his head. He wanted desperately to wake up, but he couldn't. He felt forced, yet compelled, to watch as a familiar scenario replayed in his head.

_The day had just started and already Wheatley felt like he needed another cup of coffee. He wasn't even dressed yet, sitting at the counter with a coffee cup in his hand. Being in America made him more partial to coffee than tea, which he usually had whenever he came home from work. "You didn't sleep well. I felt you tossing all night." said a soothing voice from behind him. Wheatley turned around and watched a woman walk up to him and rub his shoulders. "Is something troubling you?" she asked. _

"_Oh, nothing's wrong, love. Just a bit anxious, is all. They work us to death and dangle the possibility of employment over our heads. It's bloody maddening! But, I know if I can survive this internship, we can move out of this rat hole of a flat and get someplace a little more decent." He said, patting the woman's hand as she walked to the other side of the kitchen counter. "I don't think they like me very much. The company or the other interns, actually."_

_The girl took a bowl from the cabinet next to the stove and reached for a cereal box in another. "Wheatley, I wish you'd give yourself more credit. You're a great tech guy. They work you and the other interns like dogs so they can weed out the weaklings. Big companies like Aperture Science only want the best…" She walked over to him and kissed his cheek. "…and you are it." She giggled as he got up to get ready for the day. He chuckled softly and walked toward the bedroom. "I'm doing laundry today, so throw your pajamas in the hamper." The girl shouted from the living room._

_Of course, he didn't. He just yawned and went about his morning routine. After he had put on his work outfit, he recited a line he told himself every morning to keep him from driving his car off a cliff in a fit of rage: "It's not for me, it's for us." He kept telling himself that as he grabbed his car keys from the table near the door. "I'm off, love. I'll be home around five." He shouted, as he grabbed his things and left._

_As he made his way down the apartment complex stairwell, he heard pitter patter running after him. "Wait!" shouted the girl as she ran up behind him. She caught up to him and handed him a brown paper bag. "You forgot your lunch, silly!" Wheatley opened the bag and smiled. He saw a plastic container and a plastic fork under it. "Its last night's leftover lasagna, but it has to be better than whatever it is the break room there has." She said, as she kissed his cheek. Wheatley smiled and hugged her with his free arm._

_Wheatley smiled as they slowly left the embrace. "I don't know what I'd do without you…"_

A boom of thunder woke Wheatley from the dream. He breathed softly and tried to get his wits about him. Who was that girl? Why did she seem so familiar?

"_She seemed nice. Who was she?"_ asked GLaDOS, as Wheatley regained his composure.

"I wish I could tell you…" he whispered, as he left the bed. He looked out the window, watching the rain fall harder and harder with each passing second. GLaDOS was a little unnerved that he wasn't mad at her for looking in on his dreams. She could see everything he saw, even his dreams.

Wheatley pressed his hand against the window in the bedroom and sighed. _"You should really try and sleep again. You might have a long trek ahead of you tomorrow." _said GLaDOS. Wheatley nodded, even though he knew she couldn't see him.

Lying back down, Wheatley thought about the dream and the girl. Was it a memory? It felt so familiar, and thinking about it made him happy. Well, thinking about _her _made him happy too. Apparently, she was someone special to him at some point in time, but who knows how long ago that was. He sighed softly and drifted back to sleep.

The sun rose high and Wheatley stirred in his sleep. The dream didn't come back, which made him a little remorseful upon waking up. He straightened himself up and fished an apple from the backpack. He bit into it and left the house. This felt familiar to him. He looked at the apple and a weird vision flashed in front of his eyes. Instead of an apple, a donut was there, then the vision left. He closed the farm house door and fished around in his pant pockets for something.

_"What are you doing?"_ asked his implant.

"Locking the…" Wheatley realized what he was doing and shook his head. Finding the dirt path, Wheatley started walking down it. He noticed the storm clouds still lingered overhead, but didn't give it much thought.

He just kept walking.

* * *

><p><strong>N'cha, you guys! Luna Peachie here once again!<strong>

**Wow, I did not expect this kind of feedback for this story, and I must say I am honored at all the favs and alerts I received. I'm also grateful for the reviews as well. I honestly didn't expect such positive feedback. As a Wheatley fan girl myself, I am truly honored. Since I got so much positive feedback on this story that I decided to do overtime on the second chapter to get it out in time. If it seems rushed, just let me know and Luna Peachie will work her magic to make it better haha. I'm a literary perfectionist in a sense, and sometimes errors will irk me until I fix them.**

**I wish to take this time to apologize for any grammatical errors I may have made in this and the first chapter. Public schools, haha. Just kidding, though. I think I got a little too relaxed while writing it, and for that, I apologize. I'd rather my readers not want to scream at their computer screens while reading this. I will probably go back sometime and fix the first chapter up, depending on my mood.**

**I know there are a lot of human Wheatley stories out there, and I for one enjoy reading them. I will try not to go down the dark corners of Mary-suedom as best I can. I pride myself in giving my readers a good literary experience and not leave them sighing in angst and annoyance. Trust me, I hate that and I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemies.**

**To those who read my other fics, don't worry they are still on. I'm not canceling anything, so don't worry. Well, next installment, you're going to meet the other main character; a lovely young woman named Lillian and that's all I'm going to say.**

**Well, as always, review and be merry my friends.**

**GLaDOS and Wheatley belong to Valve.**


	3. Off the Beaten Path

_Reconstructing Humanity_

Off the Beaten Path

Wheatley wasn't sure how long he had been walking, but he knew it had been a while. By the position of the sun, GLaDOS (who could see through his eyes via an implant in his head) estimated it was just before what the humans called "lunch time". Wheatley had stopped at this point and was squirming a bit, holding his midsection a bit. He had been doing this little dance for a good hour or so and it was starting to annoy GLaDOS, who watched everything on the monitor in her chamber.

"_Stop doing that."_ She commanded. Wheatley leaned against a nearby post and held his stomach some more. _"Wait, it's been about a day since you left…you need to use the bathroom, don't you?"_ she asked, as if not actually wanting the answer.

"Bathroom? OH! Those little facilities the humans used to go into every so often. There were no management rails in there, so I never did figure out what those where." He laughed, with a small groan. "One of them asked me where the loo was once, but I told them I had no idea, but we had a bathroom."

GLaDOS sighed softly. If she could smack her forehead with a hand, she would. _"Apparently there was something lost in translation. According to your file, you're from a place called England. They have differently terminology there for certain things. This 'loo' you refer to means restroom."_ said GLaDOS.

"Well, how am I going to get all the way there to use the loo?" Wheatley asked. GLaDOS wished she could strangle him, because she was losing her patience. What little she had with him, anyway.

"_This is all irrelevant. You are a human now; I'm not sure why you keep forgetting that." _Wheatley felt an odd urging sensation in the back of his head. _"Look, you need to get rid of your body's wastes or you could become very ill. Since I doubt a restroom is going to pop out of the ground, you'll have to make due with whatever is nearby. And I suggest you do it soon. I think those clouds mean another storm is coming."_ Wheatley looked around. She was right; a restroom didn't pop out of the ground.

A little ways away from the path was a tree. _"It will have to do."_ said GLaDOS, as Wheatley started walking toward the tree. _"Well, go ahead. Do your business and get it over with so you can continue."_ urged GLaDOS.

"You want me to do something…behind this tree?" he asked. He hit the tree a few times with his knuckles, though he wasn't sure why. The tree was thick, and no hollow sounds meant there were no killer squirrels to come out and attack him, like his last encounter with a tree.

GLaDOS was hoping she didn't have to instruct him on this. However, she had little faith in him, so she did so anyway. After it was said and done, GLaDOS summoned her little robots to her chamber. She had them copy the last few minutes of her memory onto a disk. She then deleted that memory from her internal brain and told her robots to throw the disk into the incinerator. She wanted to make sure it never came up again.

Feeling much more relieved, Wheatley fastened up his pants and smiled. "Well, that feels better. Who knew two types of…"

GLaDOS made the implant send a mild shock through Wheatley's system. _"I probably should have mentioned this earlier, but I made it so that the implant in your head could send a mild shock through your system should you get off track or anger me too much. I don't want to use it too often. Done enough times, it can kill you and won't be as funny. Please don't make me waste them."_ Wheatley complied after regaining his composure and went to fetch his backpack.

Much to his horror, it was gone. _"What did you do with your pack?"_ asked GLaDOS.

"I left it by that post on the path so I could do…my 'business'." answered Wheatley, as he looked around. Wheatley noticed a set of small footprints near where his backpack used to be. "Did my feet shrink?" he asked himself, as he knelt down to examine to prints. GLaDOS was about to say something when he interrupted. "No, my feet are fine. These aren't my footprints! What kind of animal makes these footprints?" he asked.

"_Those are shoe prints, you idiot. A human must have come across your pack and ran off with it. By the size of those footprints, it must be a child. That probably means you're close to civilization. It couldn't have gotten far with feet that size. Follow them." _Wheatley nodded and started running after the footprints. Eventually, something caught his attention. The dirt path ended and a stretch of deserted highway began. Wheatley stepped on the blacktop only to feel an odd urge go through his body.

He stopped and blinked. A vision of a busy highway full of cars flew by and disappeared as he blinked again. _"Keep going, the muddy foot prints keep going across the road!"_ shouted his implant. He looked both ways (he wasn't sure why, he just felt the need to) and then ran across the road.

The footprints ended at an abandoned gas station decorated with childish drawings. Wheatley stopped at the broken automatic door and just stared at it as his head started hurting. He fell to his knees and grasped his head. "Why are you shocking me?" he shouted.

_"I'm not!"_ GLaDOS shouted back. Wheatley closed his eyes…

_Wheatley parked his car at the gas station along the highway. He liked this place. The kid with the green hair and piercings at the counter in the mornings was pretty friendly and enjoyed Wheatley's ramblings. He stopped in here every so often and bought himself an energy drink and the paper. He plopped both on the counter and reached for his wallet. _

_"Hey, Mr. Pendleton, how's your morning going?" asked the green haired kid, ringing him up. _

_"It's going pretty well. My car hasn't been bombarded with meteorites and I still have my job, so all in all, pretty good…pretty good." said Wheatley, taking a five from his wallet._

"_I saw Pam at the supermarket the other day. Is she still sick?" asked the kid, making change for Wheatley. _

_"Yeah, but the doctor says she's getting better. Still too sick to go back to work though." Wheatley sounded sad saying that. _

_"It must be tough for her. I know she loved that job." The kid started putting the items into a paper bag. _

_"No paper bag this morning. I still have a ton of them littering my backseat. Pam will kill me." The two men laughed as Wheatley waved and left the gas station._ _He started reading the paper as he opened his energy drink. Something told him he would need it today._

"Pam…her name was Pam? Was it short for Pamela?"

Wheatley yanked his eyes back open as GLaDOS started shouting at him. _"Stop daydreaming and get back on task! That backpack has Aperture Science property in it. Who knows what could happen if the wrong element got a hold of it, or even you!" _Wheatley nodded and got up. He walked in slowly and tried not to make any sounds. Despite being abandoned, the small gas station looked relatively clean, like it had recently been swept. On the shelves were toys and other things, as if a child had made this place home. It was obvious the gas station went out of business years ago, but someone had made it home. Wheatley walked up to the counter and touched the chipping paint on the ceramic surface.

He walked around the counter and looked around. He always wondered what secrets were behind the counter. Wait, had he always wondered? As far as he knew, this is the first time he had ever been to this place. Since when did he ever start? He looked down and found his backpack. He made sure everything was in there and smiled wide. Wheatley turned around sharply when he heard footsteps.

"Hello? Is anyone there?" he shouted. He heard the footsteps again. The pitter-patter sound made him think it might have been a wild animal. Oh, how he hoped it wasn't another squirrel. As if knowing where to go, he walked toward the back of the store where the break room used to be. "Hello?" he shouted again. He opened the door softly and found more childish drawings.

The back room was decorated with little murals on the walls and paper animals hanging from strings from the ceiling. As Wheatley stuck his head inside, he felt something soft hit him in the middle of the forehead. It didn't hurt, but it startled him. He readjusted his glasses and looked in front of him. A child stood in front of him holding a toy gun.

She was quite small, probably no older than five or six. She had jet black hair that she kept neatly in two high pigtails. She certainly didn't dress like she lived in this place. "Who are you and why did you come to my secret place?" shouted the little girl, holding the toy gun higher. Wheatley just looked down at the girl. She had big, brown eyes that matched her little brown coat, but not her blue dress underneath. "Did my sister send you to find me? You don't look like a policeman and you don't talk like one!" shouted the girl, as she let loose more of her ammo onto Wheatley.

"Ow! Please stop doing…Ow…please stop that!" he shouted, holding his arms up to shield his face.

When the girl ran out of ammo, she just looked at him. "No, my sister didn't send you to find me, did she?" the little girl asked softly. Wheatley didn't answer. He watched the little girl meander over to the corner and take out a soda from her little bag. "My name is Angela, but everyone calls me Angie. What's your name?" the girl asked.

"_You might as well make conversation with this child. She might lead you to civilization if you're nice enough to her."_ said GLaDOS, as Wheatley looked around. She had a point, and he obeyed, if not just to keep her from shocking him again.

The little girl (Angie) sat down on a wooden chair and opened her soda can. Wheatley looked around for a chair. He sat down on the floor as soon as he realized Angie had the only chair. "My name is Wheatley." He said, looking around and placing his backpack on the ground. "Did you do all of this?" he said, looking around with child-like wonder.

Angie nodded and sipped her soda. "Yes, I did. This is my secret place." She said, offering him a soda. She watched him look over the soda can, trying to figure out how it worked. "What part of the city are you from?" asked Angie, as Wheatley fiddled with the soda can tab. He popped open the tab, only have some soda spray in his face.

He wiped his face and did the same to his glasses. Angie giggled and watched him drink the soda. "This stuff is amazing! What is it? It tastes like…" Wheatley took another sip and swirled it around his tongue. "Tingly bubbles all over my tongue. That's a fascinating feeling, little pops in my mouth…" Wheatley chugged the rest of the soda and placed the can down. He then felt an odd pressure in his chest. Angie watched his face contort as he grabbed his chest. She hopped off her chair and ran behind Wheatley. After smacking his back a few times, Wheatley let out a loud (yet strangely satisfying) burp.

GLaDOS's chamber shook when the sound of Wheatley burping made its way through the speakers. The two little robots chirped and made laughing gestures. _"Please try to keep that horrific noise your mouth just made to a minimum during this mission!"_ shouted GLaDOS. The implant in Wheatley's head vibrated violently when she said that.

"So, Mr. Wheatley, which part of the city do you come from?" Angie asked again. Wheatley wasn't sure how to answer that.

"Well, truth be told, Tiny Human, I'm not from the city." Wheatley watched the little girl reach for another soda. "What I mean to say is…I'm from a place…umm…in that direction…that way…" Wheatley pointed toward the wheat field, which could be seen from the open break room door.

Angie just looked at Wheatley. "Mr. Wheatley, how can you be from the wheat field? There isn't anything for miles!" said Angie, excitedly.

Wheatley just looked at Angie. Would she believe anything he'd tell her? About him being a metal sphere for years, about Aperture Laboratories being located under a shed in the middle of a field? About the giant murderous A.I. that sent him on a mission to repay his debt after he almost destroyed the facility and anything within a thousand mile radius? He knew GLaDOS would tell him to make something up, but this tiny human was nice to Wheatley and even shared her delicious fizzy drinks with him. He decided she deserved the truth, no matter how crazy it sounded.

And so, Wheatley began his story and Angie listened attentively. He started from the beginning (being a metal ball programed to make a giant super computer stupid), and up until the end point (his current position as a human in a run-down gas station with a small child), Angie listened and nodded along with everything he said. Wheatley found it relaxing to tell this to someone who didn't call him a moron every two minutes.

Despite being a child, Angie seemed pretty world-weary. "You used to be a robot? That is so cool!" Angie shouted, excitedly.

"Only if you didn't have to live through it, I guess. I mean, it's nice having arms and legs, but I just don't know what to do with them, sometimes." Wheatley chuckled, as Angie handed him another soda. "It's hard enough learning I used to be a human after all that time as a metal sphere. Then I have that weird dream…and it felt familiar…"

Angie smiled at Wheatley. She had been drawing with crayons during his story and she showed him different drawings she made of his story. She was surprisingly artistic for a child. He picked up an orange crayon and read the name of the color. After being convinced by Angie that crayons weren't food, Wheatley drew along with Angie. Feeling a since of familiarity was a good start to this new friendship.

"_Your first human friend would be a child, I guess."_ mocked GLaDOS. _"You both have the same mindset, so it only makes sense."_ Wheatley smacked the back of his head a few times as the implant laughed.

Angie turned her head softly to the side. "Is that Glad-us lady talking to you again?" she asked, softly.

Wheatley stopped hitting himself and smiled nervously. "It's pronounced Gla-dos, and yes, she is." He laughed.

Angie decided to tell him about herself as well; though she was sad her story wasn't as exciting.

"I live with my big sister, Lillian, in the city. Everyone calls her Lil. We live above the bookstore she owns. She's always there, so I come here to be by myself." Angie drew a simple picture of two people (Wheatley assumed one was Angie and the other was the sister she spoke of). "Sometimes, we fight and we say bad things to each other. I come here on my bike whenever I get too sad." Angie reached into her bag and pulled out a picture. "This is a picture of me and my sister, taken just a month ago."

Wheatley looked at the picture. The girl Angie identified as Lil seemed nice looking. She looked like an older version of Angie, just taller, slightly curvy hips and had black hair like Angie's. Wheatley blushed at this picture. Something about this person's eyes seemed familiar.

"Where are your parents?" asked Wheatley. He slowly handed the picture back to Angie. She turned her head away and started making whimpering noises. "Oh…umm…I'm sorry, please don't start leaking, Tiny Human. I was leaking earlier and…" Wheatley fell over as GLaDOS shocked him again.

"_I told you not to make me waste these."_ She scolded. _"You probably shouldn't tell a child about what comes out of your body. It's highly inappropriate, and also rather disgusting."_

Angie frowned a bit and whimpered softly. "My parents died a few years ago. My mom died from an illness and my dad died in a car accident a few months later." Angie wiped her eyes softly. Wheatley wasn't sure how to respond, but something told him (and this time it wasn't GLaDOS) to pat her back, which he did. Angie smiled and hugged Wheatley tightly. This was a nice feeling.

"Tiny Human, you're probably the only person who would believe my story. Granted, it is a little insane sounding, but I assure you, it is the truth. No reason to lie." He assured her as he stood up. "You spoke earlier of a city. Is it nearby?" he asked.

Angie nodded and took his hand. "Yes, you can see it from the roof! Come on!" she shouted happily, as she led the way. Angie led Wheatley to a ladder outside that was connected to the building. Angie hurried up the ladder, with Wheatley trailing behind, struggling to get his footing on the ladder right. Angie looked down and giggled softly. "Hurry up, Mr. Wheatley!" she shouted, as she reached the roof.

"_Left, right, left right…"_ recited Wheatley's implant as he finally got the hang of climbing the ladder. Reaching the top, Wheatley was overcome with excitement. Over a few hills and beyond the road, sat a sprawling cityscape. _"I can't believe this was here. Just a day or so walk from my compound. I should make special note of this."_ mused GLaDOS.

Angie tugged on Wheatley's sleeve and pointed to a part of the city that was a little ways off. It was a decent looking hamlet from what Wheatley could see. "It's called the shopping district. It's clean and has flowers growing everywhere. Our building has a garden on the roof where Lil and I grow vegetables. My mom started that garden. She loved being outside. She never said why, but every time she took me to the park, she looked happier to be there than me." Wheatley looked at the child, who looked like she was on the verge of crying. "I miss her and Daddy a lot. Ever since they died, Lil has been so crazy about everything. She tells me to come straight home after school and won't even let me go to the roof garden alone like I used to. I miss the times when she was fun to be around."

Wheatley admired the scenery. He'd never seen such sprawling landscape before. It sure beat the metallic feel of the facility. He looked out toward the wheat field. It reassured him that no one could see the compound shed from any building nearby. It reassured GLaDOS somewhat as well. "Oh no!" he heard Angie shout. He followed Angie as she hurried down the ladder and toward the bike she had sitting next to the building. Before he could ask what was wrong, Wheatley saw a car pull up.

"Mr. Wheatley, hide!" Angie whispered, as she peaked around the corner of the building.

Wheatley peered from the corner as well and watched a young woman get out of the car. "Angie! Are you here?" the young woman sounded frantic. "Angie, please be here. I know these drawings are yours…oh, Angie…"

"Tiny Human, that woman is shouting for you." He whispered.

"I know, Mr. Wheatley; that's my sister, Lil." Angie kept herself close to the building. Wheatley readjusted his glasses and squinted. She was as lovely as her picture. Shapely, black hair and she looked somewhat familiar. She wore a plain black t-shirt and blue jeans, nothing too impressive.

"A bit bottom heavy, isn't she?" asked Wheatley. Angie didn't respond. She grabbed Wheatley's sleeve and dragged him toward the other side of the building.

She pressed her finger against her lips and continued toward the sides of the building. "We need to get to my bag inside. After that, we'll make a break for it. If we can beat her back home, I can tell her I went to the park and she won't be as mad." whispered Angie.

"_Good plan, but how is she going to explain a six foot seven British man following her?"_ asked GLaDOS. Wheatley didn't respond. He just looked at this little girl, who had a stubborn determination in her eyes. He had seen that look before, but he didn't want to think about it.

Angie motioned for Wheatley to follow her, and he obeyed like a dog. However, Angie didn't notice the broken glass bits until she stepped on them. Lil turned around upon hearing the sound of the glass under Angie's shoes. "Angie, I know you're there, I can hear you! Come out now!" shouted Lil.

Angie looked at Wheatley, who just sighed softly. "Tiny Human, just do as she says. Make this easier on yourself." He whispered.

Sighing softly, Angie rounded the corner and watched as her worried big sister ran to her. "Angie! Don't ever worry me like that again!" she shouted, hugging Angie tightly. "Do you know how worried I was when the neighbors told me you hadn't come home from school?" Angie's sister looked as if she was about to cry. Angie didn't say anything. "Come on, we have to get home. It'll be getting dark soon and you know I hate driving at night."

"Wait, Lil!" Angie shouted, tugging on her arm. "I made a new friend and he has nowhere to go! Can he stay with us?" asked Angie, as abruptly and loudly as she could. Lil, thinking Angie found a stray cat or something, sighed softly. Lil put two fingers to her forehead and rubbed it softly.

"Please, please, please?" Angie jumped up and down. Lil smiled and nodded her yes. She figured getting a pet would keep Angie occupied and keep her from straying too far again. Personally, Lil was hoping for a gold fish or a guinea pig, but a stray cat or dog would be fine too. "He can stay in the spare bedroom and maybe he can work at the bookstore! You're always going on about how you need help there and…"

Lil could honestly say she was stumped by what Angie was saying. "Whoa, whoa…slow down, Kiddo. Before I give a stray animal a uniform and a name tag, what is your new friend's name?" asked Lil, kneeling down to her sister's level.

"His name is Wheatley and he used to live in a place under the wheat field!" Angie shouted.

"_The child knows too much. Give me a second, and I'll look up a karate move that can kill both of them."_ GLaDOS sounded panicked but Wheatley shushed her.

"Wheatley? From the wheat field? I see what you did there, Short Stuff. How cute. But that sure is a very unusual name, even for a cat." said Lil, as she stood up.

"Wheatley isn't a cat!" shouted Angie. Lil raised one eyebrow and crossed her arms.

"A dog?" she asked. Angie shook her head and turned around with a big smile.

"Mr. Wheatley! Come over here and meet my sister!" Angie shouted. Lil's arms slowly unfolded as Wheatley slowly emerged from behind the building. "Mr. Wheatley, this is my big sister, Lil!"

Lil stood there, not sure whether or not to be scared that a grown man had just made friends with her six-year-old sister. He didn't look creepy, and by the way he was dressed, he didn't look homeless. That being the case, why was he hanging around an abandoned gas station? While Lil wasn't the most trusting person in the world, she knew her sister, despite being six, was a good judge of character. "This…this is your new friend?" asked Lil, pointing to Wheatley, who just waved with a goofy smile. Angie nodded.

"Lil, this is Mr. Wheatley!" Angie shouted, excitedly. Angie ran over to Wheatley and grabbed his arm, tugging him to come closer. "I'm going to go get my bag, I'll be right back."

Wheatley and Lil just stood there, staring at each other. Lil looked familiar, but Wheatley couldn't put his finger on where he had seen her before. "Look, Mr. Wheatfield, or whatever your name is, I don't know what my sister was thinking, but you are obviously not an animal…" Lil was blushing softly. In human form, she did find Wheatley quite handsome, but she had to remind herself that he was a total stranger, and she just found him with her six-year-old sister.

"Wheatley, actually, don't mean to be rude, but my name is Wheatley and there's no 'mister' in front of it, unless you call me by my last name." Wheatley scratched the back of his head, almost expecting GLaDOS to shock him. "Trust me, Miss, I'm just as lost about this as you are, but probably for different reasons."

Something about Wheatley didn't make Lil reach for the tire iron in her car like she usually did to strangers. Something about him felt familiar and she smiled softly. "Well, you don't look or sound like a homeless guy, or a pervert. And Angie is usually a better judge of character than I am, as evidenced with her not liking any of the guys I've dated…" that last part made Lil a little sad, but she tried not to show it. Before she could say anything else, Angie came running outside, holding her school bag and Wheatley's backpack.

"You left this in there! I didn't open it, I promise!" She announced, as she handed Wheatley his backpack. Lil watched Wheatley sling the backpack over his shoulder. She squinted and examined the backpack.

On the back of it, on an outer pouch, was the Aperture Science logo. She had seen that logo before, but knew that Aperture Science had been out of business for years. Many, many years. She smiled softly. Something told her she could trust this guy. She had a few questions for Wheatley, but in due time. "Alright, Mr. Wheatley. You can stay with us."

Lil's Jeep was yellow, and the color made Wheatley excited. "It's the color of the sun!" he shouted happily, as Lil helped Angie into the Jeep and into her booster seat.

"Yeah, that's why I bought it. I like yellow. I may not dress like I like it, but I do." said Lil, somewhat self-satisfyingly. Lil patted the passenger side door softly. "Here, you can sit up front. I have some questions for you. I do like to interview any strays my sister brings home." Lil laughed, watching Wheatley fumble with the door. She went to the side of the building and grabbed Angie's bike. She watched Wheatley stare curiously at the door as she secured the little bike in the back of the Jeep.

"Your door doesn't work, Miss Lil. I'm going to have to hack it, if that's alright with you." said Wheatley, picking up a rock.

Lil rushed to the passenger side of the Jeep and stopped him. She showed him how to properly open a car door, without causing any damage to her window. "Ahh, it's one of those manual doors. Haven't seen anything like that…" he played with the door handle a little more and eventually got in. After making sure the door was shut properly, Wheatley watched the two sisters put on their seat belts. He found his and stared at it.

Lil decided to help him. "You bring it over your body and it clicks into this." said Lil, putting his seat belt on him.

Lil seemed to find a weird amusement in Wheatley's astonishment over pretty mundane things. It was like he was literally born yesterday. She and Angie laughed when Wheatley panicked at the car turning on. He soon got over it as the car started moving. Lil wanted Wheatley to tell her about himself, but she decided it could wait until she got home. Wheatley shouted happily as he watched the car go by the scenery. He imagined if he had this, it wouldn't have taken him so long to leave the wheat field.

Like an excited dog, Wheatley stuck his head out the open window (once he figured out how the buttons on the door did) and shouted happily. "Ohhh, this is wonderful! Having a whale of a time! This is better than traveling in the tubes!" he shouted, as they entered the city limits. Lil yanked him back into the vehicle and had him close the window. Lil chuckled, as she rounded a few turns, watching Wheatley bounce around.

"_Please don't do that in the city, I'm sure she gets enough funny stares with that stupid looking vehicle." _The implant in Wheatley's head vibrated softly, making him want to scratch the back of his head. _"Good, you've somehow gained their trust. Remember, it is up to you to get as much information on human interaction and society as possible. These two may be invaluable to the mission. I suggest you not mess this up!"_ shouted GLaDOS.

Wheatley nodded and stared out the window. Everything about this place seemed familiar, and he watched as everything went by at a quick pace. For some reason, Wheatley felt compelled to tell Lil to turn down a specific street, but decided against it. This lady and her sister were nice enough to take him in when they could have beaten him senseless with the tire iron she kept under her seat. He decided not to get on their bad sides. Wheatley happily watched the buildings go by. He felt an odd familiarity to this city.

Something about this city felt like home.

* * *

><p><strong>N'cha, you guys!<strong>

**So, you've just met the other two main characters: Lillian or "Lil" and her little sister, Angela or "Angie" or "Tiny Human" as Wheatley will call her. They are pivotal in Wheatley's reemergence into human life.**

**While I didn't want to write about how Wheatley relearns how to "dispose of human wastes", a review I received, which I'm pretty sure was a flame, made me want to at least mention something. I didn't go into detail, because trust me…no one needs to know that**

**Alright, I would again like to thank everyone for their support and all the favs and reviews I got. I appreciate it all, thank you. You guys make my modesty hurt haha that's a good thing, don't worry hehe.**

**As always, review and be merry, my friends.**

**GLaDOS and Wheatley belong to Valve.**


	4. Living Space

_Reconstructing Humanity_

Living Space

_Mission Log: Day Two_

_Subject Wheatley made it through the wheat field and seems to have made a friend. A child named Angela, but called "Angie" for short. Sadly, the child seems smarter than Subject Wheatley at the moment. Before his encounter with the child, Subject Wheatley had to relearn [subject matter redacted] in order to continue with his mission. Though he was told to go at his own leisure, Subject Wheatley is going slower than is desirable. He was quick to make friends with the child, which is unsurprising, as they both have the same intellect level. She could be useful, as well as her sister, Lillian or "Lil" for short. She appears to be about the same age as Subject Wheatley's human body, and by monitoring her, it was noted that her body heat increased slightly upon meeting Subject Wheatley. Further notes may be needed._

_Subjects "Angie" and "Lil" seem familiar; may be distant relatives of one of the test subjects. It would be in best interests to keep close eye on Subjects "Lil" and "Angie"._

GLaDOS closed her note files and looked around the A.I. chamber. It was oddly quiet and absent was the innocent chattering of her two robot assistants. "Now, where did those two run off to?" GLaDOS asked herself, twirling about her chamber. She wasn't overly concerned with their well-being at this point. They were robots; whatever trouble they got themselves into (which was a lot, apparently), they could be destroyed and reassembled back in front of her. She didn't like doing it, as she felt it was a waste of resources.

Deep under the main complex, ATLAS and P-Body were in one of the old test subject dormitories, enjoying their favorite hobby outside of helping GLaDOS: going through old human stuff. The dormitories were shut off years ago in lieu of relaxation chambers, which were more cost effective. P-Body opened a cabinet and pulled out a radio. She had seen one before, but it didn't work properly. She shook the radio and pressed the button on the top of it. It started playing music, which startled her, causing her to drop it. ATLAS rushed over to see what was wrong. The radio screeched horrible static a bit and eventually powered down. P-Body made a sad chirping sound.

"BLUE! ORANGE! UP TO THE CENTRAL A.I. CHAMBER NOW!" shouted GLaDOS, which they heard through the communicators in their bodies. Not wanting to anger GLaDOS, P-Body picked up the broken radio and followed ATLAS to the broken transport tubes they used to get to different parts of the compound. Zooming through the massive compound, they eventually found their way to the Central A.I. chamber and made their way to GLaDOS, who just stared at them.

"Test Subject 156-D or 'Mark' as he keeps yelling at the cameras whenever I address him, seems to be missing a vital limb and needs medical attention. Send the party escort bot to fetch him and see what you can do to help. Whatever can't be sewn back on just throw into the incinerator." The two robots nodded their acknowledgement and wandered off. P-Body set her broken radio on a step in the back of the chamber and decided to deal with it later. GLaDOS waited until they were gone to continue watching the monitor Wheatley was on.

"Now, where was I…?"

_In the city…_

Eventually, Lil's Jeep reached their building. Everything Angie said about the shopping district was true. It was pretty clean and flowers grew around the trees in the sidewalk. Next to the bookstore was a café that Angie talked about for the last ten minutes. Wheatley wasn't sure was a biscotti was, but from the way Angie described it, it sounded better than apples.

"Well, here we are. Home sweet home." said Lil, putting the car in park. After helping Wheatley out of the car, Lil walked to a wooden door on the far side of the building and unlocked it. "This door leads up to our home. I had to close the store early to find Angie, but I'll show you that later." Lil opened the wooden door and revealed a staircase. She led Wheatley and Angie up the staircase to another door. She unlocked it and revealed a big apartment. Angie ran in and threw her school bag on the chair near the door. Wheatley did the same as soon as Lil told him it was okay.

Lil's home was standard (at least that's how she described it on the way there). "Well, let me give you the grand tour. My room is over there. Please don't go in there without permission." She said, pointing to a green door on the other side of the living area. "The spare bedroom and Angie's room is down that hallway. You'll have to share a bathroom with her, so be careful not to step on any bath toys." She continued, pointing to a small hallway just off from the living area.

Wheatley's eye's gleamed at the apartment. "So this is how humans live…looks more comfortable than the cryo-rooms." He murmured, as he looked around. Lil watched as Wheatley looked around like a cat getting used to a new home. He meandered over to the living area and poked the couch a few times with his index finger. "This is an odd looking bed. Who sleeps here?" he asked, as Lil and Angie walked over.

Angie giggled. "No one sleeps there, it's a couch!" she giggled. "Though, sometimes I find Lil asleep on it with the television on." Lil stared down at her sister, who plopped herself on the farthest end of the couch. She patted the cushion next to her and Wheatley sat down. He hopped up and down on the cushion a few times with a big smile on his face. Angie bounced with him, giggling as she went up and down along with Wheatley. "Mr. Wheatley, did you watch TV in your old place?" she asked, picking the remote off the coffee table.

Wheatley shook his head and stared at the blank television. "No, I don't think so, at least. Though most of the tellies where in the special human designated areas." He said, watching as Angie scooted closer. He could see himself in the reflection of the screen. Seeing his own reflection still somewhat confused Wheatley, but he didn't want to alert his new friends.

Lil sighed and walked to the kitchen. "Don't get too comfortable Angie. Your room needs to the cleaned before dinner!" shouted Lil. Lil started taking out a few pots and pans from under the counter, softly placing one on the stove and a big casserole dish on the counter. Wheatley could hear the sound of water filling the steel pot from his spot on the couch. It was a relaxing sound.

With a soft huff, Angie sulked into the couch. "Lil's not much of a cook, so come to my room after dinner and I'll share my candy stash with you." Angie whispered as she turned on the television. The big flat screen television sat mounted to the wall just above the entertainment center, which contained several boxes that were unfamiliar to Wheatley. The television itself reminded Wheatley of the monitors back at the facility, except without random pictures going across it with the occasional "motivational announcement" interrupting it every so often. "It's almost five, which means it's time for my favorite show!"

Wheatley watched in amazement as Angie flew through the channels. Lightning fast, Wheatley watched over one hundred channels go by in a single button push. "Man alive, that was impressive!" he shouted, as he sat on the edge of the couch. For the next half hour, Wheatley became engrossed with the adventures of a screechy voiced yellow sponge and his odd group of friends under the ocean. "Wow! This is amazing! I wonder when the yellow square and the rodent in the space suit are going to get together." He asked, with Angie nodding with a smile.

"_Do you not find it odd that your body is that of an adult but you have the mindset of an easily amused six-year-old?"_ asked GLaDOS, through the implant in his head. Wheatley didn't seem to be listening. _"Hey, Moron! Listen to me, now! It might help the mission…"_

Angie watched Wheatley smack the back of his head a few times. She held back her laughter.

"Be quiet! It's hard to follow this show with you talking!" Wheatley whispered, though loud enough for Angie to hear.

As Wheatley and Angie preoccupied themselves, Lil decided to investigate Wheatley's backpack a little. She wanted to respect his privacy, though nothing was really private when it came to Wheatley. All he did on the way to their home was talk, talk, talk. Though, not once did he mention his backpack. She made sure neither Wheatley nor Angie were looking and silently walked over to the chair the two backpacks were on. The black backpack definitely stood out compared to the Angie's pink sparkly backpack with the ponies on it. She slowly picked up Wheatley's and examined the logo on the front outer pocket. She remembered seeing this logo in a few places, mostly history and conspiracy books, as well as a few sci-fi books she sold in her bookstore.

There was no doubt in Lil's mind this was the Aperture Science logo, but she wasn't sure why he would have a backpack from a company that's been out of business for many, many years. She decided to put forth a few questions to towards Angie's new friend. She placed the backpack down and walked to the living room. "Angie, your show is over. Go clean your room." Lil instructed. Angie obeyed and turned the television off. "We can watch more during dinner." said Angie, as she scampered off. Lil sat beside Wheatley, who started to become very nervous.

Lil smiled and crossed her legs with her hands in her lap. "So, Mr. Wheatley…that is your name, right?" she asked. Wheatley nodded. "Before this little arrangement begins, I think I have the right to ask you a few questions." Lil watched Wheatley fidget around uncomfortably. "Where do you come from, and don't tell me the wheat field. Angie may believe that because she's six, but I'm twenty-years-old, I like to think I'm a little smarter than that." She stared at Wheatley, waiting for a response.

"Miss Lil, I understand if you don't believe me, as insane as my story sounded when I told it to you earlier in the car…" Wheatley rubbed the back of his head. "…I promise you, everything I told you is true. I have no reason to lie to the people who took me into their home when they could have left me where they found me." He reasoned, just staring at Lil. Lil nodded, he did have a point. "But I promise you, Miss Lil, if there is anything you need or want to know, I am an open book. I've read plenty of books, I rather like Machiavelli, but I'm not that kind of open book." Wheatley's odd rambling made Lil giggle.

"I'm not sure why, Mr. Wheatley…but I trust you. Something in my head is telling me you're a good person, whether you know it or not." She giggled, softly. "Your backpack has the Aperture Science logo on it. Where did you get that backpack?" she asked.

"GLaDOS, the one who gives me instructions, gave it to me." He answered simply. Lil just blinked.

"_It might be best if you don't tell her you have a voice in your head. I'm sure she already thinks you're crazy."_ mentioned GLaDOS as Wheatley watched Lil turn her head.

Lil had a somewhat disapproving look about her at this moment. She looked Wheatley over a few times, her eyes darting along his long legs to his nervous big toothed grin and continuing to his equally nervous eyes that tried not to look Lil in the eyes. "I ask because Aperture Science has been out of business for years. At least, that's what the public is told." Lil looked at Wheatley again.

"_Something tells me she knows more about Aperture than she is willing to let on. Ask her how long Aperture has been out of the public eye."_ commanded GLaDOS. Wheatley cleared his throat.

"How long has Aperture been out of business, Miss Lil?" Wheatley asked. "Ten...twenty…?"

"Try a little over one hundred years." Lil said, plainly.

Though the news didn't shock GLaDOS (who was aware that she had been "dead" for quite some time before being accidently awakened), Wheatley looked stunned. "Did you say over one hundred years, Miss Lil?" asked Wheatley.

Lil nodded. "Yep, very much over hundred or so years, actually. No one is sure what happened. They used to be one of the biggest names in science, along with a company called Black Mesa. I read that they were huge competitors. One day, Aperture just shut down and the people working there were never heard from again. Of course, most people believe they were wiped out during the Black Mesa Incident, though personally I'm not sure how that is possible."

GLaDOS seemed happy to know that Black Mesa was out of business, but to her, it was a hollow victory because she didn't witness it first-hand. "Black Mesa incident?" Wheatley asked innocently. Lil cocked and eyebrow at him.

"Yes, the Black Mesa Incident. It's one of the first things you learn in history classes nowadays. It brought on the Combine invasion." Lil watched as Wheatley just stared at her. "It was a huge war that lasted for years and pushed science and industry back a few years because of it. Mankind was driven underground and resistances formed all over the world."

Wheatley just shook his head. Lil sighed and continued. "Well, it's probably for the best that you don't really know all this. This city was hit pretty hard by it from what I learned. The ruins of that part of the city were closed off and now serve as some kind of memorial. Personally, I just think the city was too cheap to clean it up, so they just rebuilt around it. The world was recovered almost all the way from it, though. Some parts will never recover…"

Wheatley could hear GLaDOS cackling in the back of his head. _"So, Black Mesa nearly wiped out humanity. That's sad…but informative. For years, the public accused Aperture of horrible things and yet it is our main competitor that ends up almost destroying the world. Oh, I will have to make a note of this."_ She murmured with a sick sense of pride.

Lil looked at Wheatley. To her, he was a rare innocent who looked upon the world with a fresh outlook. Nothing bad had happened to him (at least that she knew of). "What weirds me out the most is that your backpack looks brand new, despite everything I just told you." Lil leaned towards Wheatley. "There were and still are rumors that Aperture had a secret compound deep underground where it did all it's real dealings. I never did believe rumors, but upon seeing you, part of me thinks it's all true. Are you some kind of failed experiment?"

Wheatley tried to ignore the sounds of GLaDOS laughing through his implant. "Well, no, not a _failed _experiment. I think I turned out pretty okay, if you can get passed having to relearn how to chew and other unpleasant things I shouldn't mention in good company." Wheatley scratched the back of his head.

Lil smiled and got up. She didn't look satisfied with the answers, but she decided not to pry anymore. "Well, you can tell me more over dinner, if you like. It will be ready soon. I hope you like vegetarian cuisine, because I made pasta with penne noodles in a meatless sauce. The sauce came in a jar and the noodles came in a box, but I made the rest myself." Lil walked out of the living area, a little less enlightened than she had hoped to be.

"_She's a vegetarian. Well, I guess you really don't need protein, not that your brain can suffer any more than it already has watching that asinine children's program."_ said GLaDOS. _"I would hate to note this as a failure. Your already terrible communication skills don't change with the opposite sex. I suggest you get to know her better. Maybe find out about her parents. Her familiarity is disturbing."_

Wheatley had a feeling that GLaDOS wasn't thinking about the mission anymore. Or maybe she was, but he couldn't tell. He felt an urging to get up._ "Go help her in the kitchen. I'm sure you can't screw up bad enough to make her kick you out. Communication is vital to the mission. And trust me; the sooner you pay your debt to me, the sooner we can both be rid of each other's presence."_

Hoping that would come sooner rather than later, Wheatley silently agreed. Wheatley stood up slowly and walked toward the kitchen, which was probably no more than a few feet from the living area. The kitchen proper was small, with a stove against the wall and a counter across from it. On the far end was a door, slightly situated in the corner. He watched Lil go over to the door and open it. The pantry was big enough to house a few shelves of food and some brooms in its small corner.

The sounds of vegetables chopping sent a familiar wave through his mind. He stopped just short of the kitchen doorway and backed up.

"_What are you doing? Go into that kitchen and talk to her."_ shouted GLaDOS. Wheatley felt a bit dizzy and leaned against a nearby table.

Lil heard him and left the kitchen to find him holding his head. "Mr. Wheatley, are you alright?" she asked.

Propping himself upright, Wheatley nodded and rubbed his head. He shook the dizzy feeling away and just stared at Lil. "I felt a bit dizzy." He murmured simply.

"You're probably hungry." Lil chuckled, placing the chopped vegetables into a big wooden bowl. "Sometimes when people don't get enough food in them, they get dizzy. Dinner will be ready soon. Why don't you go ahead and get settled into the spare room? It's right across from Angie's room. It won't be hard to tell the difference."

Wheatley gathered his backpack and walked toward the small hallway just off from the main living area. The hallway was quite small, with only three doors (the one at the end of the hallway was a linen closet). On the left was a plain white door and on the right was a white door covered in childish artwork. After much debate (and GLaDOS threatening to shock him again), he chose the plain white door.

Opening the door to the spare bedroom, Wheatley didn't expect much. It was a regular bedroom with a dresser, a bed, and a nightstand. Wheatley didn't need much, as he didn't have much. _"Not really one for decorating is she?"_ asked GLaDOS, as Wheatley looked around the room. _"Well, my scans indicate the room is clean, so it is safe to dwell here."_

Wheatley unzipped his backpack and took out his few belongings. He took out the box he carried everything in until he started using the backpack, the hairbrush he tried to eat, a change of clothes the robots gave him (where they got the clothes is a question GLaDOS needed to put forth) and an Aperture Science radio. Wheatley wasn't sure why this was in there, but he just shrugged and placed the radio on the nightstand.

His curiosity peaking, Wheatley unzipped the outer pocket of the backpack and took out an old ratty wallet. Something about this torn up leather wallet seemed familiar. _"It's called a wallet. Humans use it to keep money and identification in. The robots found it deep within the complex. Apparently, you had a locker in one of the enrichment center break rooms. Not unusual, scientists and engineers alike had lockers to keep their personal effects in. Though, this was all they found in yours. How odd. You must have been a very dull person."_ Wheatley ignored GLaDOS's remark and opened the wallet

Inside the old wallet was a driver's license with his name and picture on it. He took the driver's license out and stared at the picture. He wanted to remember, and felt like the memory of acquiring this license was on the tip of his brain, but nothing but a blank came up. The person staring back at him was gangly, cracked a cheesy smile and desperately needed a haircut for his shaggy mane of light brown hair. While the name on the license said Wheatley Prescott Pendleton, birthplace Bristol, England, neither the name nor the location rang a bell to him. The date of birth said he was twenty-three, but if well over a hundred years had passed since this license was made…what did that mean?

At that moment, Lil called Angie and Wheatley to dinner. Wheatley left his room just as Angie was leaving hers. He followed Angie to the small dining table just outside the kitchen. He pulled out his chair and sat down. Lil was taking something out of the oven with two oven mits on. Wheatley looked over at Angie, who was having trouble scooting in her chair. Wheatley helped her and she nodded her thanks. "Lil isn't the best cook, but she tries. Mom used to cook great food. On Fridays, she'd make cake for dessert." whispered Angie, as she licked her lips.

Wheatley had spent years hearing about cake, but had never known what the big deal was. He was hoping during his surface mission, he'd find out what the big deal was about cake. He had seen pictures of cake in some of the Test Subject areas over the years, but never found it that appealing. Wheatley didn't see why humans fawned over paper images of cake. He reasoned that paper couldn't taste that good.

The table was set with three plates, instead of two like usual. Though Lil and Angie normally ate on the couch while watching television, Lil decided to see if Wheatley was telling the truth about his origins. "I made pasta with penne noodles tonight, so help yourselves." said Lil, as she poured their drinks. She made her way back to the kitchen and picked up a few small bowls and a big wooden bowl full of the vegetables she was chopping earlier. After that was set on the table, she went back and picked up the big green glass dish with the oven mits again, bringing it over to the table.

Wheatley stared at his empty plate and the utensils beside it. Before Lil could serve dinner, Wheatley examined the plate. It was a plain white plate, ceramic with some cute little blue flowers painted on it. He sniffed it and then bit into it. He bit hard enough to hurt his teeth, but not break the plate.

Lil just stared at him, her big spoon halfway into the dish she had brought out containing their dinner. Angie giggled. "Mr. Wheatley, why are you eating that plate?" she laughed.

Somewhat embarrassed, Wheatley put the plate down. "Here, try eating this instead." said Lil, pouring some of the pasta on the plate with the big spoon. She eventually sat down in her spot after putting some pasta on Angie's plate and some on her own.

Wheatley watched Angie and Lil as they picked up their utensils and started eating. He picked up his fork and tried to pick up some noodles. "You make this look so easy…" he said, practically scrapping his plate. Angie stopped him, turned his fork around, and helped him make a dipping motion with his utensil. Wheatley nodded his thank you and tried again, grabbing a few noodles with the fork.

As Angie made faces while eating, Wheatley had never tasted anything so good. He thought the apples from before were good, but whatever this concoction was made him really happy. He kept eating, faster and faster, scarfing down his food like a starving animal. Lil smiled and sipped her drink. "Wow, no one has ever eaten my food that fast before! Slow down or you won't have room for your salad!" giggled Lil. Angie rolled her eyes and ate slowly.

"This is delicious! Better than apples! I should know, since I ate a whole bunch of them the other day!" Wheatley finished his plate and licked his lips. Lil asked if he'd like seconds and he happily agreed. He held out his plate anxiously as Lil have him another big helping. The two girls watched in amazement as Wheatley scarfed down the pasta and began licking the plate.

"_Slow down on the eating. You don't want to give yourself another stomach ache."_ warned GLaDOS. Of course, that is exactly what happened.

After Wheatley's stomach settled, he watched the girls go about their evening routine. Angie excused herself to get ready for bed almost the instant she was done. Wheatley looked out the window, noting the sun was just now going down. "I know it's early, but she's always been an early riser. I'm not sure what she thinks she'll miss if she doesn't wake up early. Tomorrow is Saturday, so it can't be school." Lil laughed, taking up the plates. Wheatley stared at the table for a good while and then got up when he heard the sink again.

Something compelled him to go help Lil with the dishes. He felt it was something he had done before, but where, he didn't know. He didn't so much help, as he did watch. "So, Mr. Wheatley…" Lil started, as she scrubbed a pot. "What else can you tell me about Aperture Science?" The question seemed to come out of right field. Wheatley could tell her just about anything, though it was probably a better question as to whether or not GLaDOS would let him say anything. "You did say you were an open book, though not Machiavelli." Lil laughed at her own lame joke.

"_Only tell her the basics. If you so much as mentioned me, I will shock you into dust."_ warned GLaDOS. Wheatley cleared his throat (he thought the notion of clearing ones throat was odd).

"Well, there isn't much else to tell you, Miss Lil." said Wheatley, somewhat nervous.

"Fair enough; I guess I can't grill you anymore than I have been today." said Lil as she put the dishes away.

"_This is your chance. Ask her about her family background."_ said GLaDOS. Wheatley nodded and waited until Lil was done.

"Miss Lil, earlier, your sister said your parents died a few years ago…would you mind telling me about them?" he asked, trying not to sound offensive.

Lil sighed and put the last dish away slowly. "Well, I guess I owe you some explanation since you were nice enough to tell me about you. If you must know, my parents were pretty ordinary. My mom was a quiet little homemaker and my dad was a field researcher and professor of anthropology at the local college. That's how they met, while he was on assignment. They were good parents. I was about fourteen when Angie was born and four years later, both of my parents died within a few months of each other. It's been just me and Angie ever since."

Wheatley nodded and after the two shared an awkward silence, Lil left the kitchen. _"There, that wasn't so hard, now was it?"_ asked GLaDOS, as Wheatley watched Lil walk to the living room. Wheatley didn't want to offend his new friends, so he made a mental note not to bring up that subject again, no matter how much GLaDOS threatened to shock him. _"It is probably getting late by human standards. By the looks of this Lil person, she's probably going to sit up and eat cookies while watching a romance movie. She looks like the type."_

Wheatley rolled his eyes and decided to call it a night. Around late evening, Wheatley found himself in his new bedroom conversing with GLaDOS over the day's events. He appreciated the new room, even if the bed was too small for him and the room had only a small window to look out of. Granted, it wasn't as fancy as the extended relaxation rooms, but it was still nice.

He was interrupted by a knock at the door. Wheatley opened the door and found Lil holding a big box. "I doubt you have a change of clothes in that backpack, so I brought you some of my dad's old clothes. He was about your height, maybe a little shorter and pretty muscular compared to you, Mr. Wheatley, but I'm sure they'll still fit." Wheatley smiled as Lil handed him the box. It smelt better than the outfit he was wearing. "I don't believe in giving too many hand-outs, so starting tomorrow, you're going to be working with me at my bookstore downstairs. Think of it as a way of earning your keep."

"That sounds reasonable." said Wheatley, placing the box down. "Miss Lil, I wish to apologize if I struck a nerve asking about your parents. Don't want to offend you, or anything. I mean, the last thing I want to do is anger the woman who is letting me stay with her out of the kindness of her heart. You're a nice woman, and I appreciate it…just want to let you know that…that I appreciate you…"

Lil smiled and blushed softly. "You're alright, Mr. Wheatley. I'll wake you up bright and early so get a good night's sleep." Lil waved to Wheatley and he watched her walk to her room.

Wheatley closed his bedroom door and rustled through the box of clothes. He found a pair of pajamas and looked at them curiously. "What odd patterns. Do people actually wear this in public?" he asked, looking over the bright orange stripes of the shirt. He heard GLaDOS sigh.

"_Sorry to disappoint you, idiot, but those are night clothes. Humans wear different clothes during the night. They probably breathe better than regular clothes. I must say, I'm actually more impressed than I thought I'd be. Your little social faux pas didn't get you slapped. Though, I still have no idea why she seems familiar. Oh well, a mission for another day, I suppose. I hate to say it, but congratulations, moron. You did well today. You somehow managed to acquire two new friends, a place to stay, and a job without having to do really anything. Not many people are that lucky, I assume."_ GLaDOS sounded genuinely impressed. That didn't sit too well with Wheatley, as usually bad things happened when she was overly happy. He shrugged and decided to put on the pajamas.

Something about the feel of the pajamas was familiar. Slipping each arm slowly into the sleeves felt relaxing to him. The bed in the spare bedroom was a lot more comfortable than the bed in the abandoned farm house, if not a little short for tall Wheatley. The mattress was nice and soft, as was the pillow. The sheets and comforter smelled like they could use a nice wash, but Wheatley wasn't one to complain (not at the moment, since GLaDOS would likely shock him for doing so). Wheatley whispered his good night to GLaDOS as he laid his head on the pillow.

In her bedroom, Lil slipped on her night shirt and snuggled into her big bed, all alone. She looked over at her nightstand and picked up the picture of her parents. "Hey, Mom, hey Dad…" she started, as she held the picture close to her chest. "You'll be happy to know I found a use for that spare bedroom. A guy named Wheatley is staying in there, now. And before you ask Mom, no, I'm not dating him. Why not? Well, we just met today. We met while I was searching for Angie…yes, she ran off again. We had another fight this morning. I know I promised you guys I'd take care of her, but it's hard…all we do is fight sometimes and it gets unbearable. But I do love her and maybe having this Wheatley guy around will keep her occupied. I was planning on getting her a pet anyway, and this guy seems to have the mentality of a housecat…"

Lil put the picture back on the nightstand and turned away from it. "He'll be working with me at the bookstore tomorrow. He seems kind of aloof, but I'm sure even he can't mess up something as simple as a clerk job. I do it every day since I had to fire Armin…yes, my ex-boyfriend, Mother…I guess business and pleasure can't go together. Especially when you find out the pleasure part was stealing from the business." Lil yawned softly and pulled the covers close. "Well, that's my daily report. Night Mom, night Dad…"

Late night welcomed the chirping of crickets and another restless night to Wheatley. He tossed and turned every few seconds. "No…too many variables…" he kept whimpering as he hugged his pillow close. "It's too…" He turned on his side, a contorted look on his face.

_Wheatley ran into the building, flashed his I.D. badge at the door, and rushed toward the break room, and to his locker to get his lab coat. The scientist in charge of instructing the interns had low patience for him, especially when he was late. This time it couldn't be helped. Traffic became backed up after he left the gas station and he nearly died getting to work. He put his things in his locker and rushed to the other interns. "Please don't yell at me, traffic was backed up for miles…" Wheatley stopped to catch his breath. _

_One of the other interns (Smith) walked to him and smiled. "Calm down, Pendleton. Our instructor is late, so you're good." He laughed, along with the other interns._

_With a happy sigh, Wheatley followed the other interns to the instruction room. He sat at his designated desk and waited with the other interns. "I wonder what's keeping him today." asked the only female intern (McIntyre). _

_"Traffic along the highway was terrible this morning. He must be stuck out there. Horrible, horrible mess, traffic was. It went for miles. Some guy on a motorcycle almost impaled himself on my car. Poor sod." said Wheatley, straightening up his desk._

_The interns laughed amongst themselves at a joke Wheatley wasn't paying attention to. His only goal for today was getting home and spending time with Pam…_

…_Pam…_

"_So, Pendleton, how's Pam doing?" asked one of the interns (Harvey). Harvey was a heavyset, but by no means fat, young man with a neatly trimmed beard and glasses (mostly for reading). He was pretty friendly and probably the only one there who didn't think of Wheatley as "the Limey Exchange Student." He held onto his Styrofoam coffee cup as if it was the last cup of coffee on Earth. _

"_She's doing better. The doctors say she can leave the house now, but she's still too sick to go back to work. They think the stress will overload her medication, or whatever." Wheatley answered._

_Wheatley tried to focus on other things. Pam's illness had left her bedridden for weeks, and now thanks to the new medication, she could get up and walk around again. To celebrate, Wheatley had something special planned for their one year anniversary. "How did a guy like you get a girl like her?" asked another intern (Jacobson), jokingly. "Pam is sweet, she's pretty, and somehow you off all people get her. No offense, Pendleton, but you're kind of clumsy." He laughed, softly._

"_And you're not much of a looker, either. Maybe she fell in love with your British charms." laughed the last intern (Darzi). Wheatley ignored their light-hearted teasing and went back to his thinking. He was into much of a good mood, despite the morning's events. His and Pam's one year anniversary was that coming Saturday. Wheatley and the other interns were always off on weekends, so he didn't have to worry about begging the instructor for the day off. He didn't know what he did to deserve a woman like Pam, but he wanted their special night to be memorable._

_Wheatley took out his wallet and took out a picture with him and Pam in it. She was shorter than him (of course, most people were) and she had shoulder length dirty blonde hair. The picture was taken before she had gotten sick, but sick or not, she was always beautiful to him. _

_He quickly put the picture away when they heard the door to the instruction room open. "Bad news, Interns." said the instructor as he power-walked into the lecture room. "Lessons are still on, so take your seats. We have a lot to cover today before we get to the labs."_

_As the instructor started gathering his things from his briefcase, Wheatley shuffled his desk around and found his anniversary gift to Pam. If he hid it at home, she'd find it, so he decided to keep it at his desk at work until their anniversary. He looked up as the Instructor starting going over something that he never knew would change his life. "Our top scientists are working on one of the world's first super A.I.'s, and if all goes well, you all will be a big part of it."_

Wheatley woke up from his dream and sat up. "Pam…was that the girl's name?" he whispered to himself. In his dreams, everything seemed as clear as day. He knew exactly what was going on, but whenever he woke up, it was like he was watching a really confusing movie. He rubbed his head and sat on the edge of his bed. He figured GLaDOS would tune in soon, but was actually surprised by the silence. It was nice to be alone with his thoughts.

"To be human…what does it mean, really?" he asked himself. "One minute I'm a happy little sphere looking after all the humans in cryo-sleep. The next thing, I'm in control of a giant facility, and then I'm drifting through space. Then I'm hurling toward the Earth at hundreds of miles per hour and eventually wake up to find myself a human. My life is pretty odd." He said to himself, as he laid back down.

"_Don't forget you have a voice in your head that tells you to do things."_ GLaDOS chimed in.

"And I have a…oh, hello, I was wondering when you'd chime in. Were you asleep? I didn't wake the giant scary A.I., did I?" he asked, not really masking his sarcasm.

"_I have no need for sleep. You should be sleeping, though. Worry about those visions some other time. You need to stay on task."_ GLaDOS scolded.

Wheatley sighed and covered himself again. He was losing patience with GLaDOS, and he was sure the feeling was mutual. Tomorrow, he would begin work and "earn his keep" as Lil put it. He stared at the ceiling for a little while and pondered the dream. He decided not to think too hard about it and he would have drifted back to sleep if not for GLaDOS.

"_Your dreams are more interesting than you are. That's kind of sad, really." _

* * *

><p><strong>N'cha, you guys!<strong>

**Well, I hope I answered at least a few questions for you guys. I know, still more to be answered, but in due time, my friends.**

**I'd like to state first and foremost that I haven't played the Half-Life series in a while, so I apologize if I got any info from that game wrong. Additionally, they really don't give a set number of years between the first and second game, so I just improvised. If you don't like it…well, sorry, that's the way it goes, I guess.**

**To answer another question, yes, Chell will be making an appearance, but it won't be for another few chapters. I wanted to focus on Wheatley and his attempts to reintegrate himself back into human life, despite not remembering how to live it. But I promise you, I got some good stuff planned. You'll love it…to death…love it, until you die…**

**Well, as always, thank you for your support and reviews, I am honored more and more each time.**

**Review and be merry my friends. Keep the insanity going!**

**GLaDOS and Wheatley belong to Valve.**


	5. Reading Between the Lines

_Reconstructing Humanity_

Reading Between the Lines

It was early. Not too early that people weren't already up and going about their day. Wheatley woke up to the smell of something sweet. Though he still hadn't gotten the sense of smell down pact, he liked the sweet smell. Wheatley rose and rubbed his eyes with one hand and reached for his glasses with the other. After blinking his focus back, Wheatley rose from the bed. The moment his feet touched the cold floor, he immediately retreated back under the covers. After patting his foot on the floor a few times, Wheatley got used to the cold feeling and got up.

"_Good morning, Moron."_ said the implant in his head. _"I can tell by the tossing motions you made in your sleep that you had another dream. I once read that some ancient cultures once thought of dreams as windows into another world. Isn't that interesting?"_ GLaDOS sounded almost mocking. Wheatley heard a knocking at his door. The little tapping sound made Wheatley wake up a little more.

"Mr. Wheatley! Are you dressed?" asked Angie, from the other side of the door. Wheatley yawned softly.

"Yes, I am, Tiny Human…" Wheatley shouted through his yawn.

"Lil made pop-tarts! If you hurry, she won't scarf down the strawberry ones! Those are the best!" Wheatley heard Angie's feet scampering away. He wasn't sure why, but hearing Angie's voice made him happy. He made his way to the door and opened it, welcoming the smell even more.

He slowly walked toward the kitchen, where the source of the smell welcomed him on a green paper plate. "Well, good morning, sleepy head." giggled Lil, pouring a glass of milk for Angie. Angie grabbed her plate and glass and ran to the living room. "I was going to make eggs, but Angie talked me into pop-tarts." Lil laughed, as she popped two more into the toaster. Lil sniffed the air around Wheatley and stopped him from getting any closer to her. "If you're going to be staying here and working with me, you're going to have to bathe. You smell like you just walked through a field."

Technically, Wheatley did walk through a field just the other day. Lil walked over to the hall closet and took out a towel. She flung it at him and pushed him toward the bathroom. "Please clean yourself." She pleaded, as she pushed him into the bathroom. Wheatley stared at the bathroom. It was clean, but there were toys everywhere. Lil left him to his own devices. Wheatley just stared at everything. Wheatley examined the bathroom with a certain scrutiny.

It was about that time GLaDOS chimed in. _"You do know how to work a shower, right?"_ she asked.

Wheatley acted mildly insulted. "Of course I do. I used to watch the humans use these things all the time. Well, not watch them, but I used to see them go into the shower areas…not that I didn't see them work these things…" Wheatley examined the shower and grabbed the faucet. "The key to any successful shower is water. Now, getting the water out of the faucet may take some effort. You see, the water travels up the pipes and into the faucet to clean the human…now, which knob is the knob for me, is the real…"

"_GET NAKED, GRAB THE KNOB THAT SAYS HOT AND TURN IT, YOU MORON!"_ GLaDOS shouted, making the implant vibrate violently.

"I am not a moron!" Wheatley argued, as he turned the knob. He turned it all the way and grabbed the little knob that turns the shower-head on. He wasn't sure why he knew how that worked, but he just went along with it. He felt the urge to put his hand in. He scorched his hand and retracted it.

"_Here's a nutty idea, why not turn the cold water knob a little?"_ mocked GLaDOS. While he didn't want to give her the satisfaction, Wheatley did anyway. He found a favorable temperature and started taking off his pajamas.

Wheatley stood at the closed door and looked at the full length mirror. Looking at his own naked form gave him an odd feeling. He was indeed gangly and he had hair in other places than his head, which confused him a little bit. He had other body parts below his waist he hadn't gotten fully acquainted with (unless he counted relearning how to use the bathroom). He reached his hand down and then felt a shock in the back of his head. _"I refuse to watch you get 'reacquainted' with yourself. Just get in the shower."_ GLaDOS scolded. After recovering from that small shock, Wheatley took off his glasses, set them on the sink counter and slowly stepped into the shower.

Drenching his entire body with water, Wheatley looked around. He remembered hearing the humans ask about a substance called "soap" before and sometimes joking about dropping it. Most of the items in the bathroom were child oriented. Rubber duckies, shampoo bottles with cartoon characters on them, and sponges in the shape of farm animals adorned the shower walls. He picked up a green bottle with a picture of an overly happy zebra on it and squinted his eyes. "No…tear formula…apple scented shampoo for children." He read.

Apples? He liked apples. He took the cap off and drank a few drops of the shampoo. He immediately gagged and spit it out. "Okay, shampoo is NOT for eating. Noted, noted…" Wheatley squinted as he read the back of the bottle. Nodding happily, he poured the shampoo on his head. He started scrubbing really hard, some of the bubbles getting into his eyes. He started screaming at the pain, which caught Lil and Angie's attention in the living room.

Angie blinked a few times. "Lil, maybe you should go help him." pouted Angie. Lil shook her head and went back to eating her pop-tart.

"The bottle lied!" shouted Wheatley, as he scrubbed the suds from his eyes. He thought he heard GLaDOS laughing at him. After he regained his sight, he picked up the bottle and glared at the overly happy zebra on the front. Wheatley felt the zebra was mocking him. "You are misleading, Sir…" he murmured, as he put the bottle down.

Finishing his shower, Wheatley slowly stepped out of the shower and dried himself off with the towel Lil gave him. All this seemed like second nature to him. "I think I have this human thing down pretty well. I mean, a few missteps and a few unpleasant shocks to the back of my head, but all in all, it's going pretty well, considering." Pretty satisfied with himself, Wheatley left the bathroom after putting his glasses back on.

Lil heard the bathroom door open and she immediately got up. She didn't have a chance to say anything as Wheatley walked into the living room completely naked. Lil covered Angie's eyes as she turned around to say hello to him. Wheatley just stood there, wearing nothing but his glasses. "Mr. Wheatley, there is a child living here! You can't just walk around naked!" Lil shouted. "Go put something on!" she pointed to the hallway and Wheatley scampered back to his room.

When she was sure he was gone, Lil uncovered Angie's eyes. "Was Mr. Wheatley naked?" she laughed.

"That's none of your concern, Angie. Go get dressed." Lil commanded. Lil folded her arms as Angie left the living room. With an exasperated sigh, Lil just turned her head and stared out the window. She had no doubt in her mind at this point that Wheatley was telling the truth about trying to relearn being human. She saw her reflection blushing as she opened the sliding door to the small balcony. She walked outside and leaned against the balcony railing. "I have no idea what I've gotten myself into." She murmured to herself as she watched the cars below pass by.

Admittedly, Lil found it hard to trust men in general, but some force in the universe seemed to like throwing Lil a curve ball and plopped Wheatley into her life. He was indeed something of a challenge. Never one to turn down a challenge, Lil sighed softly and thought about her predicament rationally. Lil raised an eyebrow and blushed a little more. "Though, I must say he's pretty impressive…"

After getting dressed, Wheatley left his room and tried to find Lil. She was walking in from the balcony when she met him in the living room. "Miss Lil, I want to apologize for that. You, seeing me in all my glory, was highly inappropriate and probably not a pleasant sight…"

Lil chuckled softly and reached into her pocket. She tossed a nametag at him, which he fumbled a bit as he caught it. "Here, put this on your shirt. It's a nametag. You're going to be working with me at my bookstore. If you're going to reintegrate yourself back into human society, you're going to need a job." She giggled. Wheatley smiled and looked at the nametag. It felt nice that she actually believed him, but looking at his name on this nametag felt nice as well.

"Look at that! It's so shiny and my name is stickered on it. 'Hello, my name is WHEATLEY' and you even spelled it right! Brilliant!" Wheatley stuck himself a few times with the pointy part of the nametag. Lil laughed and helped him put it on. She blushed softly, as did he having her that close to him. She smelled like cucumbers and he wasn't sure why, but it made him happy. It had been a while since Lil had been that close to a man, but she tried not to think about it and backed up once the nametag was on. "There we go. Right was rain…right as rain…I wonder why people say that…"

Lil giggled at Wheatley's rambling as Angie rushed into the living room, wearing a red sundress with flowers on it. "Alright, now that everyone is dressed, are we ready?" Lil asked. Angie and Wheatley nodded while following Lil out of the apartment.

The sign above the door way read "Lillian's Garden Bookstore" and was decorated with an array of plants, from climbing ivy to wisteria and other flowers. The exterior of the bookstore was pretty bright and happy, and the green color of the outside matched the coral pink color of the café next door, The Teacake Café. Lil unlocked the door and all three went inside. "Alright, here it is my humble bookstore."

Lil opened the doors wide and Wheatley looked around, astonished at the amount of books at his disposal. He had read all the books at Aperture (which, sadly, weren't many) and now there was an entire store filled with books. "I can't compete with the big chains, so my store mostly specializes in hard to find and specialty books; collector's items or out of print books, if you will. This being a college town, I sell a lot of text books too. You would not believe the kind of clientele I get here."

"_So much knowledge in one place…it's beautiful…almost as wonderful as testing!"_ GLaDOS swooned, as she watched Wheatley look around the room. Wheatley was speechless (which was rare). The bookstore smelled like backed goods, which was probably the result of the café next door. _"Human's fascination with literature is astounding. I think working at this place might be beneficiary to the mission."_ said GLaDOS, as Wheatley picked up a book and flipped through the pages.

Wheatley watched as Lil pressed a few buttons on the cash register and waved him over. "Alright, until I know I can fully trust you, you'll be under my supervision with the register. Try to be as helpful to customers as possible and please…PLEASE don't break anything." Lil pleaded. "We don't usually get busy until the afternoon, so I'm going to leave you with Angie so I can do the inventory I was supposed to do yesterday." Lil glared at Angie, who stuck her tongue out as Lil walked to the back.

"_I wish to remark at this time that it's sad that she trusts the six-year-old more than you."_ said GLaDOS.

"Shut up, shut up, shut up!" whispered Wheatley as he smacked the back of his head. Angie pulled up a stool and started to climb it. Sitting on the top, Angie smiled at Wheatley.

"My dad bought this bookstore when Lil was born." Angie said, as Wheatley pondered the cash register. "That's why it's called Lillian's Garden. Lil said he was a field re-something and bought the bookstore so he could be at home more with mom when she had Lil. He had the huge storage area above the store converted into an apartment and it's been our home since." Angie opened a drawer at the cash register desk and pulled out a small red lollipop. "Lil gives them to kids who come in here, but I sneak a few sometimes. Don't tell Lil!" she giggled as she handed one to Wheatley. He decided to save it for later and put it in his pocket.

Lil was right about one thing: not many customers in the morning. Angie spent this time helping Wheatley rehearse his line for greeting customers. "Hello, my name is Wheatley, how can I help you?" he repeated to Angie every few minutes. Angie clapped happily. "Hello, welcome to Lillian's Garden! I'm Wheatley, how can I help you?" Wheatley announced, while giving a thumb's up to Angie.

"You're a natural, Mr. Wheatley!" she cheered.

Lil came from the back room not long after that and plopped a box full of books on the ground in front of Wheatley. "Well, guess what you get to do today, Mr. Wheatley…" said Lil, pointing to the box. "Angie can help you stock these books." Lil balanced herself against a nearby bookshelf and tried to hoist herself up.

Without really knowing why, Wheatley ran to her and helped her up. "There we are, love." He whispered, as he helped her catch her balance. Lil nodded her thank you with a blush.

"Thanks. I have weak knees, so sometimes it's a little hard for me to get up." Lil explained, as she brushed herself off.

"_It might be the vegetarian diet."_ GLaDOS mocked, as if Lil could hear her.

Angie ran over to the open box and looked inside. "Are these those books you kept raving about being late?" she asked, picking one out of the box.

Lil softly took the book and smiled. "Yeah, for some reason, these teen vampire books are all the rage. I have no clue why. I read the first one and to me, it was a literary insult. But, teenagers go for it, so I thought it'd be a nice way to get a little more business. They technically come out today, and I was hoping to have them ready, but the shipment was late. That means we have to hurry and get them on display before this afternoon."

Lil didn't think Wheatley could mess up something as simple as stocking books, so she left him and Angie to it. "I'm going next door to pick up some food. Make sure those books are in the special display by the time I get back. No goofing around, you two!" Lil commanded, as she left.

Wheatley walked over to the box and took out a book. The cover of the book was completely black save for a picture of a torn red ribbon. _"She doesn't care for these books, yet she carries them in her store. How intriguing. I guess anything to turn a few bucks, right?"_ said GLaDOS. Wheatley chose not to respond, as he watched Angie put the books on display. _"Please don't tell me you're going to let the child do all the work. I'm pretty sure that's against the law…well, not that the scientists here ever followed the law. Well, what a contradiction."_

Wheatley rolled his eyes and put the book on the shelf (upside down, which Angie giggled at and corrected). "Lil told me not to read these, something about them being trashy. I'm not sure what that means, but she said she doesn't want me reading them at my age and handed me a book with a fuzzy bear on the front." said Angie, pointing to a corner with children's books in it.

"Tiny Human, would Miss Lil be mad if I read one of the books here?" asked Wheatley standing up and extending his hand to Angie, helping her up.

"As long as you put it back where it belongs, she normally doesn't care if I do it. What kinds of books do you like, Mr. Wheatley?" asked Angie, as she watched Wheatley pick up the cardboard box.

Wheatley scratched his head and thought about it for a moment. "Well, the compound had a lot of science books, a few philosophy books, and a really amusing one with a cow on the front that made noises when you pressed the button on the cover. It was fantastic! I didn't think the cow was going to make it over the fence, but just as I was giving up hope, he did…he did, it was quite nice. I cried."

Wheatley could hear GLaDOS sigh in the back of his head. "Well, it was a good story. It had everything! A cow, a fence…a little button that said 'Moooo' whenever you pushed it…" he reasoned. Angie watched Wheatley look around, as if GLaDOS were in the room with them. "…don't get that tone with me, I am doing my mission. People read books." Angie watched him get worried. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Please don't shock me again!"

Angie giggled and took Wheatley's hand. "You're funny, Mr. Wheatley. Come on, I'll give you the grand tour."

At the café next door, Lil waited patiently for her order to be ready. She didn't know what Wheatley would like, seeing as he would eat anything, including one of her good dinner plates. She ordered two cucumber sandwiches on wheat for Wheatley and Angie and a house salad for herself.

"Lil!" shouted a young woman, as she hurriedly walked into the café.

"Oh, hey May. You might want to get behind the counter before your boss yells at you again." Lil laughed, as the girl named May put her apron on hastily.

"Lil, I just passed by your store. The doors were wide open and some really tall guy was stocking books with your sister!" said May, excitedly. May was a scrawny blonde college student who was working at the Teacake Café in between semesters. She was always gossiping and had a long list of broken-hearted ex-boyfriends. But despite that, she was a good person and a good friend to Lil.

"Oh, that's my new hire and roommate, Wheatley. He's kind of a pet, really, seeing as Angie kind of…well, found him." said Lil, as her order was being called. Lil walked up and grabbed the paper bag softly.

"He's cute, Lil! Am I to assume you've already called dibs?" asked May, as she finished tying her apron.

"I haven't called anything, May, I barely know him." Lil made sure everything was in the paper bag and started to leave.

"Well, can I have him then?" shouted May, from behind the counter.

"I'm leaving, May!" Lil shouted back, as she left the café.

When Lil walked back into the bookstore, she found Wheatley softly reading a children's book on the floor with Angie reading over his shoulder. "…and then the fluffy bunny hopped, hopped away. The End." Wheatley closed the book and looked at Angie. "Wow that was absolutely enthralling. Incredibly amazing. I didn't think the bunny was going to get to his grandma's house but he did. Right past the angry dog and over the river. That bunny is a bloody hero." Wheatley sighed happily as he put the book back. "Oh, Miss Lil!" he stood up straight and brushed himself off.

"Are you hungry, you two?" asked Lil, shaking the bag. Angie giggled softly and nodded.

"Well, I guess I am, a little bit. My stomach hasn't rumbled, but I guess now would be a good time to eat." said Wheatley, sitting on a nearby wooden chair. Lil passed out the wrapped sandwiches and Angie stopped Wheatley from eating the wrapper. They watched him slowly unwrap his sandwich and smile. Wheatley sniffed the sandwich at first, not sure what to make of it.

"It has cucumbers in it." Lil said, as she mixed her salad around. Wheatley bit into the crunchy Panini and smiled. "This is delicious!" he shouted, taking another bite.

Lil stuck her fork into her salad as Wheatley shoved his food into his mouth. She studied Wheatley for a good minute or so and blushed again. He was sweet, eager to learn, and though she believed he talked to himself sometimes, he was probably a lot saner than the guys she had met in the past. As she was thinking she should "call dibs" on Wheatley, Lil heard the bell over the door ring and in walked a customer.

A young woman about Lil's age walked in very excited. "Let me handle this. I think she pre-ordered one of the books I had you and Angie set up." said Lil, covering her salad. Wheatley watched as Lil addressed the customer, gave her the book in question, took her money, and asked a few questions. "Would you like anything else today?" asked Lil. The girl shook her head and glanced over at Wheatley. She blushed and wiggled her fingers in a hello and left to join her group of friends outside, which were waiting anxiously.

"That went well." said Angie.

Wheatley chewed his sandwich as the girl outside pointed to him through the glass doors of the bookstore. The group of girls giggled and walked away. "What's wrong with those girls? They kept pointing and smiling at me." Wheatley asked.

Angie giggled and picked the cucumbers off her sandwich. "They think you're cute!" she shouted, happily.

Wheatley blushed and went back to eating his sandwich. "How did you know she wanted that book, Miss Lil?" asked Wheatley, peeling the crusts off his sandwich (he wasn't sure why he was doing it, he just felt compelled to).

Lil uncovered her salad and smiled. "Sometimes, you just have to know how to read people." She giggled, as another customer came in. This guy was a young man.

Wheatley stared at the young man. "How can you read him? There are no words on him. That girl that was in here had a word on her arm that said 'Candice' but that was probably more of a nametag. Hey, maybe we should have those kinds of nametags!" Wheatley shouted happily. Lil rolled her eyes and made a gesture to Wheatley, telling him to address the customer.

"'Ello, guv! Welcome to Lillian's Garden! How may I help you?" he said, with the biggest, cheesiest smile he could crack. Lil giggled and rolled her eyes. The young man, about Wheatley's human age and well shorter than him, just stared at Wheatley. He scratched the back of his head, staring at the tall British man who looked overjoyed to see a man he had never met. "Did you order one of the lovey dovey vampire books?"

The young man cocked an eye at Wheatley, who stood patiently awaiting an answer. _"Does he look like someone who would read something so cheesy?"_ GLaDOS scolded, as the implant in Wheatley's head vibrated softly.

"Umm, no. I'm doing a paper on Machiavelli for my summer course. The big chain store is farther away than I am willing to travel, so I thought I'd stop here and see what you have." The young man put his hands in his pockets and waited for a response.

"Which of his works are you most interested in?" asked Lil, covering her salad and standing up.

"Do you have _Discourses on Livy_?" the young man asked.

Before Lil could answer, Wheatley smiled and started talking. "'Doubtless these means of attaining power are cruel and destructive of all civilized life, and neither Christian, nor even human, and should be avoided by everyone. In fact, the life of a private citizen would be preferable to that of a king at the expense of the ruin of so many human beings'. Love it. Have no idea what that means, though."

GLaDOS heard him, and growled softly. _"If that's your idea of insulting me, it is lacking."_ She sighed.

Lil just blinked. The young man grinned and walked with Wheatley to the philosophy section. "How do you feel about Socrates?" the young man asked, putting his arm around Wheatley's shoulder. Lil smiled and turned around to find Angie, gasping at the door. A flood of young women were staring through the glass at Wheatley.

_Later that evening _

Angie and Wheatley toasted over two glasses of soda as Lil happily looked over the sales receipts for that day on her computer, which sat on a desk on the other side of the kitchen counter. "I can't believe that one guy bought so many philosophy books." laughed Lil, obviously happy over the sales Wheatley made.

"…and that flood of woman bought out almost all of our romance books. Most of them just stared at Wheatley." giggled Angie, as she sipped her soda.

"I should probably start charging people to just come in and stare at you, Mr. Wheatley. Word of mouth is a great way to get business. With those women telling other women about the 'cute British guy' at my bookstore, I think business will be quite good for a long time." giggled Lil. Wheatley could hear GLaDOS laughing through his implant. Wheatley smacked the back of his head and finished his soda. "Angie, it's time for your bath. You're not skipping it again by going to bed early." said Lil, shutting off her computer. Knowing the jig was up, Angie sighed and made her way to the bathroom. Lil watched Wheatley finish his soda and gasp happily.

"I will never get tired of these fizzy drinks. They are amazing." said Wheatley, as Lil took his glass.

"You were amazing today, Mr. Wheatley." giggled Lil, rinsing the cup out in the sink.

"Miss Lil, if you don't mind, could you stop calling me 'Mr.' Wheatley? I can't be old enough to have a 'Mr.' in front of my name." Wheatley chuckled. Lil sighed happily and nodded, feeling the request was reasonable. "I mean, I am basically your tenant, so me calling you Miss Lil is appropriate…but you calling me 'Mr. Wheatley' is demeaning…to you."

Lil laughed and put the glass away. "Alright, Wheatley. If you don't mind, please stop calling me Miss Lil." Lil leaned against the counter and Wheatley smiled.

"I'll try, Miss Lil…I mean, Lil…" he chuckled. Lil walked toward the living room and Wheatley followed. "You know that bloke that came in today looking for books on Machiavelli, Miss Lil?" Wheatley asked, sitting next to Lil on the couch. Lil rolled her eyes and nodded, waiting for Wheatley to continue. "Well, he was particularly friendly. He kept getting closer to me, no matter how far away I scooted. I almost went through the wall scooting away from that guy. And then, as he left with that arm full of books, he gave me this little piece of paper with an odd numeral sequence on it."

Wheatley took out a white piece of paper and showed it to Lil. It read _Call me, I'm Austin_ and had a phone number under it. Lil covered her mouth and tried not to laugh. "It might be best if you just throw that away." She said, in between chuckles. "It's not nice to lead people on."

Bedtime rolled around. Wheatley sighed happily as he put on his pajamas. "That was Brilliant. Who knew working a job could be so much fun?" Wheatley asked, as his buttoned up his top. "I mean, the group of ladies who crowded around listening to me tell that Austin bloke about Machiavelli was very nice, but I don't know how to react to that."

"_How informative today was, as well."_ said GLaDOS. _"It seems the fairer sex finds you attractive. I'm not sure why. My statistics show most women like men who are muscular and smart. You're gangly and stupid. Of course, my statistics might be out of date, which can be remedied with the mission you're in."_ Wheatley rolled his eyes and started to pull up his pajama bottoms. _"I noticed that Lil person let you keep one of the books you were reading to that group today. I was under the impression she didn't like to give hand-outs. I think she might actually like being around you. Well, that makes one of us. Just when I thought she was the sensible one."_

"Oh, quit your bellyaching, love. I think Miss Lil is quite sensible. She's nice, she has her own shop, and she is a wonderful cook." Wheatley was having a little trouble fastening the buttons on his pajama bottoms.

"_Yes, this Lil lady is quite astounding. You should try to strengthen your friendship with her. She trusts you, but I notice she watches you like a hawk."_ said GLaDOS, shivering at the thought of birds. _"Interaction with the opposite sex is crucial, and since she is the only female in your age group that doesn't become a drooling mess when speaking to you, your interactions with her might be more substantial. Try not to mess this up. I want to be out of your head as much as you want me out. Maybe more."_

Though he found that hard to believe, Wheatley nodded and got into bed. He laid back and took off his glasses. "Miss Lil is so nice…" he yawned softly as his eyes got heavy. "…and she's as sweet as honey, too. Very tenacious, just like…" he trailed off and started snoring. GLaDOS wanted to shock him, but decided killing him in his sleep might be a bad idea.

As the night went on, Wheatley tossed and turned, his eyes quivering. His pillow fell off the bed and he gripped the sheets tightly. "Construct…this…doesn't seem right…"

_Wheatley held his clipboard tightly as he and the other interns followed their instructor. "As you can see…" the instructor began. "…human testing, though it is slowly being done away with, is still crucial in some of the experiments going on in the Enrichment Center. What you're about to see is only one of the experiments you all might be working on when and if you get hired after your internship is up."_

_The instructor guided the interns to an observation room with a two-way mirror. The subject in the room on the other side looked to be younger than them. "The young man you see on the other side of this mirror is…" the instructor flipped a few pages on his clipboard and with an "Ah-ha" looked at his students. "Subject name Clifford Williams. His basic information should be in the packet I gave you earlier."_

_Wheatley flipped through the papers in his clipboard with the other interns and found the sheet._

_**Name: Clifford Williams**_

_**Age: 15**_

_**Basic Information: Clifford Williams was admitted to the [ASYLUM NAME REDACTED] by his family upon the death of his parents. Subject Clifford Williams seems to be suffering from multiple mental disorders including but not limited to paranoid schizophrenia, hallucinations, attention deficit/hyperactive disorder, and echopraxia. Can become violent when separated from a plastic spaceship toy and mutters things about space. His psychiatrists strongly recommend straight jacket at all times and constant supervision.**_

"_That poor kid…" muttered Harvey, looking up from his clipboard. _

"_Why don't they just put him on medication, like Dr. Rattmann?" asked McIntyre. _

_The Instructor shook his head, looking through the information packet. "Oh, this kid is far beyond the help of any known or legal medication. When his parents died, his remaining family tried their best to take care of him, but he just kept getting worse. They spent his entire inheritance admitting him to one of the most expensive 'mental health centers' in the country. They were forced to give up any legal rights to him, which is why Aperture bought up the rights to use him in an experiment."_

_The interns watched their instructor turn on a computer console nearby. "As you all know, Mr. Johnson has been having almost all the engineers working on brain mapping and artificial intelligence lately. Aperture's latest innovation will be something of a 'mind swap.' You all will be helping the scientists set up the program."_

"_Mind swap, Sir?" asked Wheatley, holding up his hand. _

"_Yes, Pendleton, a mind swap. While it is possible to make an independent A.I., it needs something of a…how can I word this…a 'starter' so to speak. To give it more than just a voice." The instructor sat at the console and typed in his codename and password. "The scientists will take care of the messy part, you all just focus on a program for them to use."_

_The words "messy parts" didn't sit well with any of the interns. "This is what we have so far. It's not perfect, which is where you all come in. It works, but it's still missing something…we're just not sure what. We're about to test the latest version. Hopefully this kid will make it out better than the last one…" the instructor got up from his chair and stood at the mirror. He and the interns watched as the scientists strapped in the young man, who had to be carefully taken out of his straight jacket. Wheatley could hear the kid muttering excitedly._

"_Space…space, wanna go to space…space…stars, galaxies, Orion, big dipper, BIG DIPPER!"_

_The instructor went back to the console, awaiting the okay from the scientists. Wheatley saw the scientists handle some sort of sphere with an optical lens. "That is what the scientists call a 'Personality Construct' sphere or 'corrupted core'. It's blank at the moment, but in a few short minutes, it won't be." Once he got the signal, he punched a few more keys and stood up. "Watch the magic, Interns…" he whispered, as he put his hands into his lab coat pockets. A few short moments later, the interns watched a spectacle that none of them would forget…though each would desperately try._

_The room lit up and the screams of the young man could not be unheard. The poor young man shook wildly in his chair as the device he was hooked up to sparked and shook the room. After a few minutes, the boy sat lifeless and the sphere started to glow. "Voila, interns…" said the instructor, finally. "His mind has been transported to the Personality Construct. He's practically useless, though, as we've found the procedure doesn't sap the mental sickness out as it goes. He's our last mental patient as a subject. However, he's the luckiest. The others…well, let's say there are a few more blank spheres than one would like."_

_The interns just stood there, not sure what to make of what they just saw. "Is he…dead, Sir?" asked Darzi, trying to hold back the tears. _

"_Physically, no; he's still alive as long as he's hooked up to something. His body will be put in cryo for now, until they figure out what to do with him." The Instructor's answer didn't calm their nerves much._

"_If you don't mind me asking, Sir, if the program works in this version, what else is left to do?" asked Wheatley. _

"_The Super A.I. that Mr. Johnson has us working on must be perfect. No screw ups. The program works, but there are still bugs that could ruin everything. This kid got lucky. He's one out of the ten or so we've tested. If we can get the personality construct transfer process program working so where it doesn't literally deep fry whoever is hooked up to it, then the work on the Super A.I. can finally begin."_

_The personality construct was hooked onto the management rail and the interns watched it zoom around. "These cores will be used to keep it from going rogue, but we have to make sure they can't go rogue as well…"_

_The instructor dismissed them not long after that. Wheatley tried not to think about what they just saw. He threw his lab coat into his locker and sighed as he took out his personal belongings. They didn't have a chance to eat lunch that day, because of all the work they did. Wheatley was actually happy he didn't, because he probably would have lost it. _

"_Hey, Pendleton!" shouted Harvey as Wheatley closed his locker. "We're all heading to the bar. After that, I don't think I can sleep tonight without a few in me. Want to join us?" he asked._

"_Normally, a few pints after work would be wonderful, but I can't. If Pam knew I was drinking, she'd kill me." said Wheatley, putting his wallet in his back pocket. _

_The interns laughed loudly as Wheatley fixed his glasses. "I swear, she has you wrapped around her finger. She says jump you say how high. Of course, you'd hit your head on the ceiling and still keep jumping." laughed Jacobson, as he and the others left. _

_Harvey patted Wheatley on the shoulder and smiled. "Don't listen to them, Pendleton. I'd kill to have a woman like Pam riding me about stuff like that. By the way, what's with that little box you kept fiddling with today at your desk?" asked Harvey._

_Wheatley smiled devilishly and pulled the small box out of his pocket. "I didn't want to jinx it, but since you're probably the only proper friend I've made around here, I guess I can tell you." He said, excitedly. "As you know, mine and Pam's anniversary is this weekend. She's been feeling a lot better and even though I had to practically beg her father for permission and I cleaned out my savings to afford it, but I believe this will be our most memorable anniversary yet."_

"_More memorable than your six month anniversary, where you took her on a romantic nighttime boat ride, only to fall off the boat and spend the next two weeks in the hospital fighting pneumonia?" teased Harvey. _

_Both men laughed and Wheatley shook his head, smiling at the small box. "Even more memorable than almost dying. She never left my side, even though she had just gotten the news about her own sickness earlier that year. I want to prove to her that I'll love her, through the good, the bad, and the idiotic accidents I seem to cause."_

_He opened it and revealed a beautiful diamond ring. "This Saturday, I'm going to ask Pam to marry me…"_

GLaDOS watched the dream as Wheatley fidgeted in his sleep some more. She was intrigued, and wanted to know more. She pulled up Wheatley's file again and looked it over. "Odd, under marital status it says single. I wonder what happened…" she muttered to her two robot assistants. She twirled around and stared down at her two robots. "The research is going well. You two should be proud. Now, go back to the Hub and charge up. We have a busy day tomorrow."

ATLAS and P-Body did as they were told and left the central A.I. chamber as GLaDOS went back to watching the test subjects. P-Body found her broken radio and hastily ran after ATLAS.

As they left, ATLAS chattered something to P-Body, who held her broken radio close. It sounded like a warning.

* * *

><p><strong>N'cha, everyone!<strong>

**Sorry this took so long. I'm apparently terrible at multi-tasking, but I did it, haha.**

**Funky weather lately, huh? Summer's almost over and I am in a fall mood! I can't wait to get me a new hoodie!**

**So, enjoy yourselves so far? I hope I haven't raised more questions than answers with this chapter. That wasn't my goal, but if I did, I apologize. Notice how P-Body has been carrying that radio around lately and that Wheatley happens to have an Aperture radio. Remember that, that's important for later. How much later? Next chapter or so.**

**Well, as always, thank everyone for their reviews. I love answering questions and I love hearing thoughts. So, review and be merry my friends. I love criticism but prefer positive haha.**

**GLaDOS and Wheatley belong to Valve.**


	6. Static

_Reconstructing Humanity_

Static

P-Body sat in silence in one of the abandoned test subject dormitories, tinkering with her broken radio. Parts lay strewn about along with tools and other odds and ends littering her little work area. She seemed pretty determined to fix this broken human apparatus and not even ATLAS's angry chattering could stop her. His reluctance to help her fix her new treasure didn't deter P-Body, though. When she was sure she fixed the problem, she put the casing back on and placed it on a nearby table. With one press of a button, it powered on.

Skipping happily in place, P-Body called over ATLAS, who had been busy going through a foot locker full of men's clothing. ATLAS trotted over and P-Body held up her finished product. ATLAS looked it over as P-Body played with the tuning knobs. Eventually, a weird screeching sound came through which made ATLAS and P-Body cringe. ATLAS tried to take the radio away from his companion, but she protected as if it were a child. She softly set it down on a nearby table and clasped her hands together.

Before ATLAS could grab the radio and destroy it, the static stopped. He stopped and looked at P-Body, who just pointed at the radio. Then it came back. It wasn't regular static. It sounded like a code.

Someone was trying to get their attention…

_In the city_

It had been a few weeks since Wheatley had begun living with Lil and Angie. It took some getting used to, and a lot of Lil yelling at Wheatley to put on clothes whenever he got out of the shower and at least one occurrence of Lil having to chase him around the apartment with a fly swatter for eating all of her "hidden chocolate".

All of this Angie (and GLaDOS, through Wheatley's implant) found hilarious. In his defense, it wasn't well hidden sitting at the bottom of the vegetable crisper.

On Lil's part, having a guy around did take some getting used to. While at first she was distrusting of Wheatley, she eventually grew to like him almost in the way Angie did. When Lil figured he was competent enough to work the register alone, she let him. Whenever Wheatley worked at her bookstore, she would see a very nice influx in sales, especially in books that women generally buy. Wheatley kept noticing the women slipping him odd pieces of paper with their names and numeral sequences on them. He usually threw them away when the women left.

Lil wasn't sure why, but Angie adored Wheatley. She figured it was because they were on the same level, maturely and academically. Whenever he and Lil would drop off Angie at school in the mornings, she would always give an extra long hug to Wheatley. Wheatley enjoyed the ride to and from the school. Lil didn't bother to ask him about his school years…he didn't remember.

Lil was feeling particularly happy as Wheatley stocked the books in the children's section. "Miss Lil, why does Tiny Human wear the same outfit to school every day? I mean, she has a lot of clothes, I've seen her laundry basket, but everyday it's that same blue jumper with the crest on the right side and the white undershirt. Is it her favorite outfit?" Wheatley asked, as he finished stocking the shelf.

Giggling softly, Lil shook her head. "No, it's a uniform, and it's not the same one every day, she just was multiples of it. Angie goes to a private school and it requires the students to wear uniforms. It's so they know who goes to that school and who doesn't." Lil's answer confused Wheatley a bit. He just shrugged and stood up. Compared to Lil, who stood at 5'5" with shoes on, Wheatley easily towered over her.

In the short time he had been living with her, Wheatley still found women confusing. From the girly products Lil often brought home (she had to convince him that miniature bath soaps weren't candy) to the certain time of the month that Angie advised Wheatley to stay away from Lil. After being chased with the flyswatter again for saying Lil looked puffy, he took the advice to heart.

Of course, besides Lil and Angie, Wheatley only had experience with two other women (well, one woman and one feminine super computer).

Wheatley was about to start stocking another shelf when a weird sound made him teeter. "Oh, bloody…what on Earth was that horrid sound?" he said, regaining his footing.

Lil looked around and then at Wheatley. "What sound?" she asked, softly.

Wheatley leaned against a bookshelf and held his head. "It was some kind of screeching sound, like static and a whistle together."

Lil cocked her eyebrow and walked toward Wheatley. "Hey, Wheaters," that was her new nickname for Wheatley. "…are you feeling okay?" she asked, placing her hand on his back. He nodded and stood up straight as best he could. He fell back against a bookshelf as the sound came back. "Maybe you should go upstairs and lay down. You've worked here every day for the past couple weeks. Even I take days off every now and then. Go upstairs and take a nap."

Wheatley did as he was told and went to the apartment. He didn't go to his room, but he did sit on the couch with his head in his hands. "GLaDOS…I'm not sure what I did to anger you, I don't think I did anything recently, but if I did I'm sorry…just please stop making that noise…" Wheatley pleaded.

"_I'm offended that you think I enjoy tormenting you. You'd be right, but I'm still offended just the same."_ said GLaDOS. _"I'm not making any noise. The little brain implant I installed in the back of your head must be picking up a radio signal and malfunctioning. I can fix it from here, but I must warn you, you might be stupider when I'm done, not that anyone will notice. I suggest you go lay down in your bed in case you slip into a coma. If that Lil lady finds you asleep on the living room floor again, she won't be happy."_

"Oh, for…it was one time! I was sleepy and I stayed up late to watch that show that only comes on really late at night. I almost made it to my room…granted I passed out in the hallway and I was awakened by Tiny Human stepping on my head, but it was only one time…" Wheatley reasoned, as he started for his room.

"_Irrelevant. What moron forgets he's sleepy?"_ said GLaDOS, as she worked the configurations for the implant from her chamber. _"This might hurt…"_

Wheatley shrieked loud enough for Lil to hear downstairs. "What was that?" Wheatley asked, trying to climb into bed.

"_I did warn you."_ said GLaDOS. Wheatley laid his head on his pillow, listening through the implant at GLaDOS pressing buttons and making beeping noises. It was relaxing, the beeping noises. It reminded him of the compound, which he didn't want to admit he was starting to miss. Being a human was a lot more difficult than he had originally imagined. Everything leaks, everything hurts, and whenever he was around Lil, his chest would tighten up. He was hoping it'd go away soon.

"How are things at the facility, love?" Wheatley asked, softly. "I mean, are the cores doing alright? And what about those two little robots you had tucked away back there last I saw? You still using them?" he asked as he stared at the ceiling.

"_They were in the room with me when I put you back into that body, Moron. As for the cores, I have no idea where they are. I detect them on the management rails, but they lay too far out of my reach. Now be still, you might lose your motor skills for a moment. Not that you had good control of them anyway."_ GLaDOS's warning was true, as Wheatley found his arms and legs moving around randomly.

In GLaDOS's temporary control over his body, Wheatley fell off the bed, rolled around on his bedroom floor, and smacked himself a few times. Admittedly, she did that last part on purpose. Wheatley soon regained control of his limbs and straightened out his glasses.

Sitting on the bed, he felt his implant vibrate again. _"There, good as new. I even lessened the voltage of the shock relay. Now, I can use it when I please without the potential of killing you. I suggest you rest a bit and let the implant cool down."_ After what just happened, Wheatley believed sleep to be a good idea.

Wheatley yawned softly and shut his eyes. GLaDOS didn't want to say anything, but she believed the implant's malfunction (if it was even that) was caused by the influx in activity going on in Wheatley's mind. He had been a moronic sphere for so long, he probably couldn't handle intellectually what was happening, and his implant was compensating. _"Fascinating…"_ she whispered. GLaDOS also felt compelled to study his memories more.

_Wheatley had finally arrived home and was eager to just go inside and relax. He couldn't comprehend properly what he had seen at work, and though he usually told Pam about the things happening there, the Instructor was pretty adamant about this being a secret. She probably wouldn't have believed him anyway. _

_Like the other interns, the Instructor gave him a rough copy of the program on a disk to take home and work on. He honestly had no idea where to start, but he knew he'd probably be up all night doing it. If he could get the program to work properly, he figured everyone would start taking him more seriously._

_He tried to think of other things. About Pam, and how happy she would be to see him home. Their anniversary was three days away and he couldn't be happier. Walking into his apartment, he found Pam putting sheets back on their bed. "Oh, hey sweety. I was just making the bed. That new detergent is pretty awesome. It smells like green apples!" she giggled softly, as Wheatley wrapped his arms around her. "I'm going to assume you had a good day today." Pam flattened out the comforter on their bed and went to pick up the laundry basket. _

_Wheatley held her tightly. "How about we just order Chinese tonight, love?" Wheatley cooed into Pam's ear._

_Pam blushed and put her hands on his arms. "Chinese? You don't usually suggest that unless you're…" she was cut off by a big kiss from Wheatley. "…about to be working on something from work all night." She sighed. His attempts to butter her up seemed to have failed. _

_Rubbing the back of his head, Wheatley cracked a cheesy smile. "Sorry, love. They have me working on some kind of program for a big project they have there. Can't really give you much more than that, but if I can get the program working, I know I have a guaranteed job there. Then maybe people will start taking Wheatley Pendleton a little more seriously instead of just treating me like some…" he realized his fists her balled up and Pam was staring at him. He chuckled softly. _

_Pam smiled and kissed his cheek. "Alright, I'll let it pass this time." She said, with a smile._

_Wheatley decided to slip into more comfortable clothing, which meant his torn up jeans and his dirty Metallica t-shirt (which Pam has tried to throw away countless times but it somehow reappears in the laundry basket every laundry day). He sat down at his desktop and started typing away. It was mostly codes, something he knew plenty about. He found it odd that the sequences didn't have a functional pattern and some of the programming didn't make much sense, but it somehow worked earlier that day. Wheatley began to think it was just dumb luck that didn't barbeque that poor boy to death earlier. _

_Wheatley got to work right away, taking out everything from his work bag and going over any loose ends. He wasn't sure why he, an I.T. specialist, was working so closely to the scientists. He was starting to think he should have applied for an internship at Black Mesa. But Wheatley liked a challenge, that's how he won Pam over. _

_He typed through Pam ordering dinner, dinner arriving, him accidently over tipping the delivery guy because he was so distracted, and through it getting cold sitting next to him at his desk, as well as Pam kissing him on the forehead and going to bed. _

"_If I can crack this before the others, I'd be a shoe in for a job there. Hopefully it'll be a cubicle job and not whatever it is they have us working on. It's not for me, it's for us…" Wheatley kept repeating as he stirred his cold sesame chicken around. "It's not for me, it's for us…" He stuck his fork into his mouth and sat back. "Pam is going to kill me for working all night…"_

Wheatley woke up softly to a small tapping on his door. "Not for me…" he whispered as he rose.

"Mr. Wheatley, are you alright?" asked Angie. Wheatley looked around and at the wristwatch he had on. He found it a few days ago while going through the box of clothes Lil had given him. It was already after five. How long had he been asleep?

Wheatley straightened himself out and walked up to the door. "Yes, Tiny Human, I'm fine. Just got a little dizzy earlier. Miss Lil made me come upstairs and sleep. I'm fine now." He opened the door and was greeted by a piece of paper with drawings on it.

"I made this today in class!" she said, happily. It was a crayon drawing of three people. "We were told to draw the people closest to us, and I drew you and Lil!" she said, happily. The picture was indeed of three people. One female adult wearing mostly black, a small child with pigtails (Angie always wore pigtails) in a blue dress (probably her uniform), and a male human that towered over the other two. Wheatley guessed this was him, as the male was also wearing glasses.

"_For a six-year-old, her art is actually quite impressive."_ said GLaDOS.

Angie ran toward the kitchen with Wheatley following. "Lil is still down at the store, so it's just you and me, Mr. Wheatley!" said Angie as she happily placed the drawing under a refrigerator magnet. Wheatley watched her run to the table, grab a chair and scoot it across the kitchen floor. "I'm making dinner!" Before she could climb up and open the freezer, Wheatley grabbed her and plopped her down at the kitchen entrance.

"Let's not have Miss Lil yell at us tonight. I'm sure she has something prepared for dinner already." Wheatley walked over to the refrigerator and grabbed the handle. Before he could open the door an inch, the static noise came back. Wheatley grabbed his head and fell to the floor.

"Mr. Wheatley?!" Angie shouted as Wheatley fell to the floor. Wheatley curled into the fetal position on the kitchen floor and covered his ears. Angie ran from the apartment to go get Lil. Wheatley's vision became blurry and though he could hear GLaDOS yelling at him, he could barely make out her voice. The last thing he saw before losing consciousness was Lil's feet running through the front door and towards him.

A few hours later, Wheatley woke up in his bed. He blinked softly and looked to his nightstand, where the Aperture radio was playing a soft song. _"Oh good, you're awake. You were out for a few hours. I had to temporarily turn off the implant so I could reconfigure it. How are you feeling?" _asked GLaDOS, as Wheatley say up. He shook his head a bit as his bedroom door opened. Lil appeared with a wet rag.

"Oh, thank goodness you're awake!" Lil shouted, happily as she walked to Wheatley's bed. "Angie ran downstairs and told me you were in pain. When I got upstairs you were curled up in a ball on the kitchen floor. What happened?" Lil sounded panicked.

Wheatley sat up and rubbed his head. "I'm not sure, Miss Lil. All I could hear was static…" he rubbed his head and reached around for his glasses.

Lil handed them to him. "They fell off your face when I picked you up off the kitchen floor." Lil sat next to his bed and clasped her hands near him.

"When Angie came rushing in, I thought you broke something again. But she told me you fell down, and I assumed you tripped over a chair again. But when I came upstairs and saw you lying on the kitchen floor. I don't know why, but something shot through me and…" Wheatley could tell she was having trouble telling him this. "When my parents died, I didn't think I could take something like that again. That's probably why I'm so crazy protective of Angie; and in the short time you've been here, I became crazy protective of you, too."

Putting his glasses back on, Wheatley smiled at Lil and patted her hand. "Thank you, Miss Lil. I appreciate everything you've done for me." He said, blushing softly. Lil smiled as she stood up and left the room. Wheatley hugged his knees and looked over at the radio. He assumed one of the girls turned it on while he was out and listened to the song.

_Exile…It takes your mind again…_

_Exile…It takes your mind again…_

_You've got suckers' luck…Have you given up?_

The song sounded familiar to Wheatley but he pushed the thought to the back of his head. "Being human sucks." He said, softly. "Every minute I have to do something that requires me to stay alive. When I was a sphere, I had a very simple life. All I had to do was stay on my management rail and patrol the cryo-chambers. Simple life, but still satisfying. Simple. I never had to eat; I never had to sleep, if I needed energy I just shut down for a few hours. I most certainly never had to…do unpleasant things in that toilet thing, and I never had odd images pop into my head when I powered down!"

"_Don't get worked up. Maybe if you ask nicely, I'll shove you back into one of those cores when the mission is over."_ said GLaDOS. Wheatley knew she wasn't serious. He chuckled and started to get out of bed. He pressed the button on the top of the radio to turn it off. _"I'm not sure if I fixed the problem while you were out. Right now, I'm focusing on finding where the static came from. If I can locate the source, I might be able to keep it from exploding your brains, since I already called 'dibs' on that, as the humans say. Ha-ha."_ GLaDOS didn't hear Wheatley laugh. _"Oh, come on, that was funny."_

"Maybe my next mission should be to study human humor, if not for me, than for you." Wheatley said snidely as he fixed himself up.

He heard a few clicks in his head and nothing. _"Why aren't you doubling over in pain of the shock? Did I set it too low?"_ shouted GLaDOS as she tried again. Wheatley rolled his eyes and left his room. He knew it was late, but he heard the television on. He walked into the living room and found Lil sitting there.

She looked up and smiled, silently inviting him over to her. Wheatley sat down and watched the television light flicker off everything. "You want to know something crazy?" ask Lil, and she lowered the volume and held her knees close to her. Wheatley nodded, though he wasn't sure if he really wanted to know. "When I was a little kid, about Angie's age, I came home from school one day and found my mother slumped over in the kitchen kind of like you were today. I didn't realize it then, but it was the beginning of the end for her…"

Lil had a box of tissues next to her, and it was obvious that she had been crying. "My dad didn't explain to me what was happening to her, but as the years went on, she went from better to worse over and over. I remember one day, I saw her cough up this weird liquid and when I asked her about it, she sent me to my room. I asked my dad and he didn't give me a straight answer either. When she became pregnant with Angie, she looked like she was doing better, but she went back to her sickness after Angie was born. She was a stubborn woman, though. She refused any help and just kept going…until it took her two years ago. It's been hard without her and dad, but they left me the bookstore and we've been living pretty well off the insurance money. Doesn't make up for how much we miss them, though. When I saw you on the floor like that, like she was, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was about to lose you, too. I hate myself every day for not telling my parents all the things I wanted to tell them. I kept myself bottled up because I was afraid. I don't know if they knew how much I loved them and appreciated everything they did for me and Angie."

With a sigh, Wheatley just smiled at Lil. "You shouldn't worry, Miss Lil. You're a strong woman. Back at the facility, I literally blew my chance to apologize to a great friend. She never called me a moron, or saw me as just a sphere on a rail. No, to her I was much more than that. Though she never said it. Of course, she never said much, anyway…not sure why, I guess she must have been mute. Anyway, I never got a chance to tell her I was sorry for being such a horrid per-…umm, sphere to her and that I really did appreciate her friendship. She probably knew, at least I hope she knew. My point is if you feel like you've lost a chance to tell them anything, don't feel bad. I'm sure they knew how much you loved them, and still do."

Wheatley placed his hand on her shoulder. He wasn't sure why, it just felt like the right thing to do. He started to hear the static again, but it was low. A vision blurred in front of his eyes of his hand on someone else's shoulder and then it faded away with the static. The vision looked like that Pam lady he kept dreaming about.

"Thanks, Wheaters. You know, for a doofus, you're a great guy." Lil kissed his cheek and left him blushing and holding the remote as she wandered off to her room. "Hey, how about you take tomorrow off and go to the park with Angie? She likes going there on weekends because of all the other kids. It might be good for you, as well."

Lil smiled and disappeared into her room. Sighing happily, Wheatley picked up the remote and pressed a button. He still had no real idea how the remote worked, but with Angie's help he figured out which buttons change the channels and which buttons not to press if he didn't want to make Lil mad in the middle of the night. Wheatley turned the television off when he thought he heard music. He followed the soothing sound and ended up back in his room. The radio was on.

"What the…how did you turn on?" he asked the radio, as if actually expecting an answer back. He picked the radio up and just stared at it. For some reason, he felt like singing along to it. "Does it feel like a trial…does it trouble your mind the way you trouble mine…?" he sang softly as he placed the radio back down on the night stand. He slipped out of his clothes and into his pajamas. He hummed the song softly as he slipped into bed and laid his head down on the pillow. He yawned as he repeated the words.

"Vilify…don't even…"

_At the Facility_

P-Body held her radio high as she and ATLAS journeyed to the inner areas of the facility to find the source of the static. The older parts of the facility that the humans used to frequent were in horrible disarray, but still navigable. The sounds of the radio became louder as they journeyed farther down. _"Do not come back up until you find out what is making that noise."_ shouted GLaDOS, through their communicators.

ATLAS and P-Body walked through a few observation areas and stopped every so often to watch the test subjects. They saw a few pleading for help from them, but they would shrug and keep going. As they journeyed deeper into the compound, the music stopped and the static started up again. The two robots knew they were going the right way. GLaDOS's communications started to go in and out as the two got closer to the source of the static, until eventually they couldn't hear anything.

In an abandoned test chamber, the two robots found the remnants of a make-shift fort. They knew whoever was down here would be safe from GLaDOS's wrath because she didn't bother to repair anything this far down. They surveyed they area, finding open cans, broken computer parts, jugs of water, and even parts of dismantled personality cores. On the walls were paintings that amazed the two robots. As P-Body examined the paintings, ATLAS shuffled through all of the old junk strewn about. Someone had been there recently, of that his robot brain was sure of.

P-Body noticed a piece of wall jutting out from the rest of the tiles and yanked it off. Inside, she found a mural of strange paintings and strange little device that was emitting an odd sound. She walked into the small hole and looked around at the paintings. Some depicted a grand escape, while others depicted the "crowning" of a new ruler of Aperture. Some of the drawings even depicted what looked like her and ATLAS.

Though she didn't know what fear was, P-Body was certainly feeling something. She picked up the small device and pressed a button, which made the sound stop.

"_Can…hear…did…you two find anything?"_ GLaDOS's voice immediately came back. P-Body called ATLAS over and she handed her discovery to him. GLaDOS, having gotten signal back to the robots, could now see what they were seeing. She chuckled evilly. _"Good work, you two. Come back up and bring that thing you found."_ GLaDOS shut of the monitor that showed her what the robots saw. She chuckled softly as she waited.

"It's been a long time, old friend…I don't know where you are, or how you survived. But I will find you, and I will find out what you are up to…"

* * *

><p><strong>N'cha, everyone!<strong>

**The plot thickens…**

**This one doesn't really focus on anything to be quite honest. It was mostly a transitional chapter. I came up with this one while listening to a track from the Portal 2 soundtrack called "Ghost of Rattmann". Personally, I don't think he's dead. I think he's still somewhere within the walls of the facility doing what he does best: sabotaging GLaDOS's plans and leaving little clues for the new test subjects. **

**I'm not actually sure how radios work internally, but I figured I'd take a shot. Don't really quite know what I.T. specialists do, either so, haha on me, right?**

**I would like to take this time to say that I appreciate all reviews, but please don't spam or flame the review thingy. I keep anonymous reviews on because I want to hear from everyone on how I'm doing and what their favorite parts are and so forth. And no, smartass who thinks he can spoil the plot: P-Body is not Pam and I'm not making any Fruits Basket references. I've never watched Fruits Basket, so how can I make a reference? I've heard good things about it, so maybe I should check it out.**

**Once again, thank you all for your reviews and favs; I look forward to writing the next chapter, which is already in the works. **

**Questions, comments? Review and be merry, my friends.**

**GLaDOS and Wheatley belong to Valve.**


	7. Music in the Park

_Reconstructing Humanity_

Music in the Park

GLaDOS didn't like how quiet it was in the facility.

The test subjects were going about their rounds and going back to their relaxation chambers like clockwork. Some went to rest as others were getting up. GLaDOS prided herself in keeping them on strict schedules. Something was making them erratic as of late. Maybe it was the sudden realization that most of them will probably die in there. Or maybe it was the rat problem…

Something was occupying her robots lately too, and something told her it wasn't the radio she confiscated from P-Body the day before. Without telling them, GLaDOS turned on the cameras in their heads that let her see through their eyes. She noted most of their day consisted of doing the various errands she sent them on, which she never realized was so tedious before. Now she really was grateful she didn't have to do any of it. GLaDOS noted that ATLAS usually led the two. Not surprising, as she built him to be the leader.

P-Body was the more logical one. She was curious and examined things very closely while ATLAS usually jumped into things without thinking. They were each other's foil but they someone produced a close friendship, if one could call it that. Other than GLaDOS, the two were only loyal to each other. Just the way she built them.

The two robots, in their off time, seemed to have made a little "club house" of sorts in one of the abandoned test subject dormitories. GLaDOS noted the two adorned it with various human objects and were at one point during her investigation trying on human clothes (men's for ATLAS and women's for P-Body, respectively). The dormitory was decorated with parts and other little creations the two made together. At the moment, the two were just resting, ATLAS in a chair spinning it around and P-Body looking over a picture book she found. Were they imitating humans?

"So, this is what they do when they aren't busy. It's amusing. No, not amusing. What is the word I am looking for? Oh, right…infuriating. Yes, that sounds about right." GLaDOS decided to bide her time with those two. At the moment, she focused on the radio she took from P-Body. It was silent, but every so often it would turn itself on and play the same song. She didn't think it was broken, as scans of the item found that P-Body was oddly talented in fixing broken mechanical devices.

She looked over all the security monitors and saw nothing out of the ordinary. There was a rat lose in her home, and she shouldn't stand for it. "I know you're there, you can't hide forever…"

_In the City_

Angie liked to wear dresses. That was probably a big contrast to her sister, Lil, who preferred to wear shirts and pants. Wheatley waited on the couch for Angie to pick out a suitable play dress for the park. Lil had given him the day off to recover from whatever made him faint the day before. Wheatley would rather be downstairs with Lil. He liked to bookstore. So much knowledge at his fingertips, much more than he had ever dreamed off outside the facility. He held a worried expression on his face. He hadn't heard GLaDOS through his implant all morning. Wheatley had begun to think it was broken when he heard a soft static noise.

"_Well, the good news is we found what was causing the disruption and I took care of it."_ said GLaDOS, self-satisfyingly.

"What's the bad news?" asked Wheatley.

"_I didn't get a chance to say good morning to my favorite meat puppet…good morning, meat puppet."_ GLaDOS laughed snidely as Wheatley rolled his eyes. _"I heard that Lil lady tell you to come downstairs before you go to the park today. This is perfect. One of the best places to study human interaction is a public park. Parents take their offspring there all the time. It might even be a chance for you to make friends outside of this 'dynamic' duo. If you don't scare people off, that is."_

It was at that moment that Angie came running from her room wearing a yellow sundress with a big sunflower on the front. "Okay, Mr. Wheatley! I'm ready!" she shouted, happily. Wheatley and Angie left the apartment and went downstairs to the bookstore.

Lil was already waiting for them as they walked inside. "Alright, you two have fun at the park. Keep each other out of trouble and if Mr. Wheatley tells me you were chasing ducks by the pond again, you're grounded." said Lil, bending down to Angie's level.

Angie rolled her eyes as Lil walked over to the register. "Alright, I'm giving you guys some money so you can get something to eat while you're there, and some to pick up sushi on the way home." Lil took out two twenty dollar bills from the register and walked over to the two.

They both had the same innocent smile. She looked at Wheatley, then to Angie, then to Wheatley again. She thought about it logically and gave the money to Angie.

Wheatley heard GLaDOS laugh mockingly through the implant. Angie put the money in her little sunflower on the front of her dress, as it apparently doubled as a little pocket. "Alright, Angie knows the way to the park, so just follow her lead. She also knows the rules, right Angie?" Lil stared down at her sister.

"Don't talk to strangers, stay close to Mr. Wheatley, and don't go off without him." Angie recited. Lil nodded happily and waved as the two left the bookstore. Angie took Wheatley's hand and led the way. Lil crossed her arms and watched the two walk down the street. She felt bad not trusting a grown man with money. She then withdrew that thought remembering it was Wheatley and sighed.

Angie skipped happily with Wheatley behind her. "You're going to like this park, Mr. Wheatley! It's so big and there is a huge playground with swings that go really high…" Wheatley smiled at Angie's rambling, and stuck his hands in his pockets. This would be the first time he had left the apartment for something other than taking Angie to school. Lil took him to the grocery store once and it ended with them being kicked out and Lil being mad that she had to go all the way across town to get groceries now.

Being much taller than his little companion and most of the people passing by, Wheatley got plenty of stares. He looked around at the buildings of the shopping district and smiled. It all seemed so familiar to him. Wheatley stopped at a small shop in particular and stared at it. Angie tried tugging on his arm to get him to move. The window said this shop was an insurance agency, but a vision of him and the women he keeps dreaming about eating ice cream at a table in the window flashed by in an instant.

"What's wrong, Mr. Wheatley?" asked Angie, tugging on the sleeve of his shirt. Wheatley shook himself out of the vision and stared down at Angie.

"N-nothing, Tiny Human; it's nothing at all. Tell me more about those slides." Wheatley saved, as Angie led the way.

Though he really wasn't paying attention, Wheatley smiled at Angie and nodded softly. Walking along the streets gave him an odd feeling of nostalgia and it was starting to scare him. Angie stopped for a moment and looked around. "Was it left on Main Street or keep going and right on Tucker Avenue?" she mused softly. Wheatley took her hand again and started leading the way. Eventually, they made it to the park. He wasn't sure how he knew the way, but Angie was amazed.

They walked along the paved path toward a crossroads. One sign said playground and pointed to the right, while another said Lake Trail and pointed to the left. Wheatley felt the strange urge to go left, but Angie led him toward the right. "You're going to love this place!" Angie kept saying, tugging Wheatley along. They finally reached the playground and Wheatley looked around at all the children. He had never seen so many children in one place before (except the day that "Mommy and Me" class got out early and came to the store to gawk at Wheatley).

Wheatley found a bench and watched Angie run to meet some of her little friends. _"The child is occupied. It might be beneficial to talk to the parents of some of the other children."_ said GLaDOS, through the implant. Wheatley sighed and stood up. He saw the other children's parents lined up watching their children at the edge of the play area.

He easily towered over the other parents, who noticed immediately that he was coming. "'Ello, mates. How're we doing today?" he asked, somewhat nervous. They just stared at him. One of the moms spoke first.

"Which kid is yours?" she asked, nonchalantly.

Wheatley was taken aback by the brashness of her question. "Well, none are mine, per say, I'm watching my friend's sister today. As a sort of baby sitter, not that I watch children from a far, just that I'm watching Tiny Human today and…"

"_Stop talking before you scare them."_ warned GLaDOS. The parents just stared at Wheatley. Some chuckled, some went back to their original conversation, and some went off to find their respective children. Wheatley soon found himself alone, standing by the play area. _"Wow that took less than two minutes. It took less than two minutes to alienate yourself from other adults. Congratulations, this mission is going so well." _Mocked GLaDOS, as Wheatley went to find his bench again.

"Don't judge, just yet. I don't talk to many people outside of Miss Lil and Tiny Human…and you, though I look crazy talking to you." Wheatley commented, as people stared at him as they passed by. "Besides, those people were snooty. If I were Miss Lil, I wouldn't want Tiny Human playing with those children; no, not at all. They are filthy, loud, and they act…"

"…_like children?"_ GLaDOS interrupted. Wheatley sighed and sat back on the bench. _"The mission is about social interactions with other humans. The only humans you have interacted with so far are that Lil lady, the tiny human, the women that come to the store to gawk at you, and that Austin guy who occasionally accompanies them. It would be in the best interests of the mission to make other friends, or at least somehow make being you more interesting. If I could die of boredom, I would."_

Wheatley thought he heard classical music coming from his implant. _"What the…hold on, I have to go address something. You're on your own for a while. I'm still recording, but you won't hear my voice. I'll be right back. Try not to hurt yourself."_ He then heard a clicking sound, and assumed GLaDOS turned off the implant.

Wheatley thought he recognized the piece. "Requiem by Mozart?" he asked himself, as he leaned forward, placing his elbows on his knees. "The Lacrimosa part to be exact…"

The sounds of the park made Wheatley smile. Everything seemed so familiar. He wanted to get up and explore, but knew he couldn't leave Angie behind. He looked toward the path leading to the lake trail and squinted. His eyes blurred slightly and a vision of him walking hand in hand with that Pam girl he often dreamed about flashed in front of his eyes. Something about the lake was beckoning him. He looked over and saw Angie running towards him. "Mr. Wheatley, come push me on the swings!" she shouted, tugging him in one direction.

_Back at the bookstore_

Lil found herself trying to fight boredom. It was slow, probably because Wheatley wasn't there. She was secretly enjoying it. Her thoughts kept drifting back and forth to her recent relationship. The only reason Lil even found herself thinking about her ex-boyfriend was because she had received an invitation to a friend's upcoming wedding. She probably would have married him if she hadn't found him stealing from her store's register. "How did you get yourself in that mess, Lil?" Lil asked herself as the bell above the door jingled. It was May.

"I'm going to assume you got an invitation to the wedding as well." She asked, without saying hello.

Lil nodded and threw her invite on the counter. "She asked if I could play the guitar during the ceremony." Lil scoffed, and she leaned against the counter.

"You haven't played in public in years. Can you even still play guitar?" asked May. Lil nodded and sighed. "Hey, you know what you should do?" asked May, reaching into her purse.

"What's that, May?" asked Lil.

"You should bring that Wheatley guy to the wedding with you. A tall British guy on your arm, you'll be the talk of the entire wedding!" May took out a compact power and started powdering her cheeks. Lil thought about it, and the thought about Wheatley interrupting the ceremony with a stupid objection that had nothing to do with the wedding and falling face first into the wedding cake. Lil shook her head.

May giggled and started putting on lip gloss. "Then can I have him?" she asked with a giggle.

Lil's eyes shot at May. "No, May. He's…off limits." said Lil, hesitating with her words a bit.

May laughed and put her make-up back in her purse. "Off limits? Last week he was just an idiot that worked for you and now he's off limits? Whatever you say, Lil. We'll let him decide. Well, I have to get going, I have some errands to run. Call me later and let me know if you're going to the bachelorette party."

Lil liked May, but she could be infuriating sometimes. Lil walked toward the backroom and looked in the corner at the acoustic guitar collecting dust in a utility closet.

_Back at the park _

Angie practically dragged Wheatley toward the next destination. Angie giggled happily as they reached the swings. Angie plopped down on one of the swings and wiggled her feet. "Push me, Mr. Wheatley!" she shouted.

"Seems kind of impolite, don't you think?" he asked, placing his index finger on his chin.

Angie shook her head and waited anxiously. Wheatley gave her a small push and she giggled happily as she pumped her legs to go higher. "Swing with me, Mr. Wheatley!" she shouted, happily.

Wheatley sat on the swing next to hers, and was suddenly filled with remorse. He looked over at another swing, which was empty and swinging along to the wind slowly. A vision of him blurred in front of him again, this time of him slump over in the seat, slowly moving the swing with his legs, staring at the ground, sighing mournfully. In an instant it was gone. Apparently the park had been an important place to him at one point. After he got himself going, Wheatley started to swing higher and started laughing loudly.

"Look at us! Swinging in the park! Whale of a time!" he laughed along with Angie. He didn't notice, nor care, that the other adults found him odd as they walked by and steered their children in another direction. The children of the playground were amazed that he could swing so high. Once he noticed he was gathering a crowd, Wheatley slowed himself down by dragging his ankles along the dirt. Angie slowed down too and looked at all the people staring at them. "I think all these people might be waiting to use the swing…" Wheatley took Angie's hand and they both left the swing sets. They laughed and decided to go do something else.

They came to the monkey bars. Wheatley helped Angie get her footing right and she made it to the middle before her grip slipped. Wheatley caught her and let her down gently. "Your turn, Mr. Wheatley!" Angie shouted happily, pointing to the monkey bars. Wheatley gripped the monkey bars tightly, and was about to go before he noticed his feet touching the ground. He was by far the tallest person in the general area and it showed as he gripped the monkey bars, trying not to look out of place. It didn't help that Angie was laughing and pointing at him.

Holding his hand tightly, Angie dragged Wheatley toward the teeter-totters. Suffice to say, a grown man having more fun on the teeter-totter than the six-year-old he was accompanying was indeed a strange sight. With each hop, Wheatley's smile grew, as did Angie's laughter. They didn't notice the parents leading their children away.

Deciding it was time to get something to eat, Wheatley took Angie's hand and they guided each along the path. He hadn't heard from GLaDOS in a while, and was starting to get worried. He didn't want to look crazy, so he decided not to address GLaDOS until their day at the park was over. Something in the back of his head told him something wasn't right, but he tried to ignore it, for Angie's sake.

Looking around for a food vendor, Wheatley tried to get the gnawing feelings out of his head. He had obviously been here before, as he knew his way around everything. He felt compelled to go along the lake path, but he knew Angie didn't want to. "Look, Mr. Wheatley! Ice cream!" Angie shouted happily, as they raced toward the vendor. Buying their ice cream, they searched for a bench to eat it on. He didn't know why, but he requested strawberry, as if he had many times before. They eventually found a bench in an area where different performers lined the sidewalk.

"Mom used to bring us here a lot." Angie said, happily licking her vanilla cone. "She always ordered chocolate ice cream, but I prefer vanilla. Lil likes peppermint." Angie swung her legs as she ate her ice cream. Wheatley's cone wasn't very big, but he still ate it slowly.

He finished well before Angie and saw a young man playing an acoustic guitar not too far from them. Wheatley blinked and held his head.

_Wearing a denim jacket and tapping his foot to the beat, Wheatley Pendleton played his guitar along the sidewalk for the park's visitors and possibly his own satisfaction. He hadn't been in America long, but he was already enjoying himself for the most part. The guitar was probably one of the only things he brought with him from England, along with a bag of meager possessions. His family was against him leaving to pursue a job opportunity in the states, but he had already made up his mind before they could even voice their objections._

_He had graduated fifth in his class at the technical institute and moved his entire life to the states for a new beginning. Wheatley was hoping he could leave his reputation of being accident-prone and lacking common sense back home and start anew. He was failing miserably, but at least he was trying._

_Wheatley loved England, but he couldn't stay home forever. He knew this. He was getting a chance to see the world and it started with the internship he had been accepted into not long ago; a paying internship at Aperture Laboratories, one of the biggest names in science, no less. It didn't begin for another few months, so he had time to kill. Too much time, as he was living off the money his family gave him and bumming around the park because his dank apartment depressed him too much. It was sadly all he could afford until his internship started, but it was home._

_As Wheatley strummed the notes to "Moon River" to the sun setting over the pond, people passing by threw money into his guitar case, mistaking him for a vagabond, but he didn't notice. No one stopped to listen to him play, but he enjoyed playing the song regardless, as it was his mother's favorite song. _

_A good, kind, and caring woman, his mother was; total contrast to his father, who could be a bit crude at times but still a good honest man. He smiled, and wondered what they were doing right at that moment. Wheatley didn't want to admit he was homesick for his mother's terrible cooking, or his father snoring on the couch after a long day at work, or his grandparents complaining about "the youth of today"._

_He stopped strumming for a moment and thought about his parents. Total opposites in every way imaginable, but they seemed to function well together. Wheatley wondered how long it took his dad to get used to his mother's lack of cooking skill (she had a roast recipe that not even stray dogs would eat). He remembered asking his dad why he married her, and he would always grin and say: "She makes good tea."_

_Wheatley grinned and knew that wasn't the only reason. He shrugged and was about to take his guitar strap off when he noticed a pair of white shoes with a pretty young woman in them. "Please, could you play that song a second time? It was my grandmother's favorite, and she died recently." The girl asked. Wheatley nodded and started playing again. She sat down next to him and started singing._

"_Moon river, wider than a mile_

_I'm crossing you in style some day_

_Oh, dream maker, you heart breaker_

_Wherever you're goin', I'm goin' your way…"_

_Wheatley smiled as he played. "You have a lovely voice." He said, strumming softly._

"_So do you." The girl giggled. "I'm Pamela, by the way. But all my friends just call me Pam." The girl had shoulder length dirty blonde hair and fair skin. She looked like she didn't go outside much. _

"_I'm Wheatley." said Wheatley, as if the guitar was saying more than him. "Please, continue the song…"_

"_Two drifters, off to see the world_

_There's such a lot of world to see_

_We're after the same rainbow's end, waitin' 'round the bend_

_My huckleberry friend, Moon River, and me"_

_Though they had just met, Wheatley and Pam sat and chatted after the song was over, like two old friends. He told her about leaving England and his upcoming internship in a few months. She told him about her grandmother's recent death and coming to the city to live on her own, despite her very protective father's objections. They talked about Wheatley's mother, and the time she almost burnt down their family home trying to make cupcakes. They talked about a special brown betty recipe Pam's grandmother taught her but could never get right. _

_Before they knew it, Wheatley offered his arm to Pam and they were off to get dinner together._

Snapping out of his vision, Wheatley reached into his pocket and pulled out a dollar bill. He walked over to the young man and tossed the dollar into his guitar case. "Could you play 'Moon River'?" he asked, softly. The young man nodded and started playing. Angie walked over to Wheatley, and looked up at him. He had a mournful look on his face, though neither of them knew why. Wheatley took Angie's hand when the song was over and they left the park together.

After buying dinner, Wheatley and Angie promptly returned home. Looking up, Wheatley saw Lil sitting on the balcony, strumming a guitar. "I didn't know Miss Lil could play the guitar." said Wheatley.

"Dad taught her. She knows a few songs, but she doesn't play often. I hear her playing it late at night sometimes, but other than that the last time I saw it was at Mom's funeral. It's the earliest I can remember her playing." Angie started toward the stairs to the apartment. Wheatley found it depressing that Lil playing guitar at their mother's funeral was one of Angie's earliest memories. He decided to leave it be and followed Angie upstairs.

Lil came in just as Wheatley was placing the big sushi platter on the kitchen counter. "Lil!" Angie jumped into Lil's arms and gave her a big hug.

"How was the park?" asked Lil, setting her sister down.

"It was great! We had ice cream for lunch!" Angie giggled. Lil rolled her eyes and listened to Angie talk about their day. Lil glanced over at Wheatley, who looked a little sad. As Angie rushed off to her room, Lil took out an envelope and handed it to Wheatley.

"What's this, Miss Lil?" he asked, opening the envelope. Inside was a stack of money.

Lil placed her hands on her hips as Wheatley flipped through the rather generous bill stack of mostly twenties. "It's your pay for working at the bookstore. You may be working for room and board, but even you need your own money if you're to be a proper human." Lil giggled.

Wheatley tried to refuse but Lil insisted. In her eyes he saw a familiar determination to do the right thing. Lil was stubborn, and tended to be grumpy, but she had a good heart.

Late night set in, and Wheatley lay silently on his bed, his arms behind his head. He had come back into contact with GLaDOS a few hours ago, but he noticed she seemed frazzled. "Have you ever thought about being human, GLaDOS?" he asked, staring at his ceiling.

"_Why would I want to do something like that?"_ asked GLaDOS, who seemed a little preoccupied.

"Well, despite a few setbacks, I'm enjoying most of humanity. I'm not restricted to the management rail; I can walk where I want, though I get yelled at for walking on grass in certain areas of the city. I will admit it, though. I do sometimes miss being a construct." Wheatley turned to his side and took off his glasses. "At least when I was a construct, these weird visions didn't plague me." He lamented.

GLaDOS couldn't sympathize, as she rather enjoyed being an omnipotent being in control of literally thousands of lives trapped deep below the surface. "Oh, love, before I forget, did you ever find the source of all that trouble from yesterday?" Wheatley asked.

He seemed a bit distressed that GLaDOS said nothing. For a moment, he thought his implant when out. _"We found a few things, but nothing definite. I'll keep you informed. I have some things to take care of. Go ahead and get some sleep. We'll speak again in the morning."_ Wheatley nodded softly and went back to staring at the ceiling.

Wheatley sat still, thinking about everything. He wasn't sure why GLaDOS had been so distant lately, but he was thankful for the silence and to have his thoughts to himself for once. "Humanity…" he repeated to himself. "To be human…to experience memories…to experience emotions and pain. Horrible. I hate it, but at the same time, I can't get enough of it. It feels so natural, like being on my rail and zipping through the compound like a happy little sphere. Like they programmed me…"

Turning to his side, Wheatley stared at the radio on his nightstand. "To enjoy simple pleasures again…that would be wonderful."

Wheatley got up and left his room. He was hoping he'd find Lil awake again, but was sad to see the living room empty. He walked through the living room toward the balcony, where Lil had left her guitar. He went outside and picked it up, looking it over a few times. Wheatley came back inside, shutting the balcony door softly, and sat on the couch with the guitar.

Lil awoke to the sounds of a guitar strumming softly. She put on her bedroom robe and opened her door slightly. She watched Wheatley play softly, as if he was playing for someone. Lil left her room and slowly made her way to the living room. Wheatley looked up and saw Lil standing there. He didn't stop playing. He wasn't sure why, but something (and it wasn't GLaDOS) told him she wasn't angry.

Lil sat next to Wheatley and smiled as he played. "I didn't know you could play guitar." She whispered.

"Neither did I…neither did I." he responded, as the song finished.

"Promise to play for me again sometime." said Lil, her big beautiful brown eyes glistening in the light of the street lamps outside. Her smile filled him with a familiar sensation which in turn made him smile a corny smile of utter happiness.

Wheatley nodded and placed the guitar down. "Anything for you, Lil…anything for you."

* * *

><p><strong>N'cha everyone!<strong>

**So, a friend of mine sent me a video on YouTube of a guitar version of the song "Moon River". It's a beautiful rendition and it's been in my head for so long.**

**Admittedly, this chapter is mostly fluff. Next chapter, you'll be seeing some action going on in the facility and what extents GLaDOS will go to get rid of a certain rat problem.**

**Sometimes, me and my very adult friends will go to the playground near my home and people watch. It's nice to remember youth and rejoin its energy. Of course, no matter what, seeing a grown man trying to go across the monkey bars when his feet touch the ground is hilarious no matter what the circumstance.**

**I would like to take this time to say thank you for your awesome reviews and favs. You guys are awesome. Your reviews fuel me to keep going and I appreciate all the questions and comments I get. So, keep 'em coming and I'll keep pumping out the stories. It's win/win, if you ask me lol. But seriously, thank you all very much or your support.**

**As always, review and be merry my friends. And if you ever need to relax, check out the guitar version of "Moon River". It's beautiful and making me sleepy right now…**

**GLaDOS and Wheatley belong to Valve.**


	8. Down the Rabbit Hole

_Reconstructing Humanity_

Down the Rabbit Hole

GLaDOS seemed to be having trouble keeping everything in control today. It was like someone was sabotaging the facility from its inner workings. Panels were malfunctioning, the speaker system went in and out, and the monitors were flickering on and off. This, of course, did not please GLaDOS.

"What the…hold on, I have to go address something. You're on your own for a while. I'm still recording, but you won't hear my voice. I'll be right back. Try not to hurt yourself." said GLaDOS to the monitor of Wheatley in the park. She made the monitor ascend into the ceiling and called her robots to her chamber. ATLAS and P-Body promptly responded, running to their panicked leader. By their rough casings, she assumed they were having a bit of trouble as well. "What is going on? Everything is malfunctioning! I thought I sent you two to the control room for scheduled maintenance."

ATLAS chattered to GLaDOS, waving his arms around. "What do you mean it's locked? You're robots, break the door down." She scolded. P-Body chirped something frantically. "Oh, right. The reinforced door. I forgot I had that put in. Well, how is it locked? It's a coded door." GLaDOS accessed the main control room from her chamber and temporarily fixed the problem. "There, the door should be unlocked. Go up there and figure out what's going on."

The two robots made their way out of the Central A.I. Chamber and left GLaDOS to herself. She could instantly fix any problem within the facility. That's how she was designed. But when one problem was fixed, another popped up. It kept her occupied, but not for long. Whoever was messing with the controls obviously underestimated her power or had something bigger planned. She glanced at each monitor and tried to scan for any life form not registered in the test subject DNA registry. Everything seemed normal, or whatever passed for normal around the compound.

ATLAS and P-Body had to take the long way to the control room, as the elevator was malfunctioning. Upon arriving, they found another device, like the one found the day before. GLaDOS, seeing through their eyes, growled angrily. P-Body picked up the device and shut it off. "Bring it down here at once!" GLaDOS shouted, loud enough to make the two shake.

Inside her chamber, GLaDOS had P-Body take the device apart. "Interesting. It's mostly made out of scraps of old machinery." She mused, softly. P-Body took the casing off and carefully took the device apart. "Our little rat must know what he's doing. I wonder what he has planned?" she asked, as her robots chattered amongst themselves.

It was at that time music started playing over the speakers. Everywhere in the facilities, even in the test chambers, classical music was heard. "Requiem…" GLaDOS muttered, turning to face the other monitors. The test subjects had stopped in their tracks and stared at the cameras. "Please ignore the interruption. Continue testing." She said, loud enough for the subjects to hear her over the music. She stared down at the robots, who looked just as confused as she was unwilling to admit she was.

"Orange, I made a few adjustments to your toy." said GLaDOS, as a metal claw handed P-Body her radio. "You can now follow the sound better. Reconfigure that transmitter you found and find out where its signal is coming from." P-Body nodded and graciously took her radio back. "Now, both of you…go…" The two robots obeyed and ran off.

P-Body wasn't sure where to begin. As she fiddled around making a few adjustments to her radio, ATLAS chattered out his theory to her. P-Body just blinked and watched as he paced. Their little "club house" in the old test subject dormitories was a safe place for them (they thought so, anyway). Away from the cameras and test chambers, the two robots could be happy (or the robot equivalent) and not worry about judgment from their boss. In her efforts, P-Body fixed up her radio to play the transmitter in reverse.

Happily chattering, P-Body showed her finished product to ATLAS, who gave her a thumb's up, chattering something to her. P-Body turned on her radio and they could hear the sound again. P-Body played around with the tuning knobs and eventually found the right frequency. The screeching sound played, but oddly, they could understand it. It was a message; for them.

"_If…you can hear this…I finally…got your…attention…please…help…find me…below…"_

To the robots, it was an odd shock. Had one of the test subjects escaped from the main Enrichment Center and found their way below? No, that couldn't be it. Down below was forbidden. They were testing GLaDOS just by being in the abandoned dormitories. P-Body picked up her radio and followed ATLAS out of the dormitories. Down the broken staircase and toward one of the broken transport tubes, the robots turned the tuning knob on the top of the radio and the sound popped on again. As if motioning ladies first, ATLAS let P-Body go down the tube first.

In her chamber, GLaDOS silently watched Wheatley's monitor. With the compound repairing itself from the technical "burp", GLaDOS decided to be a silent observer for a while and only interject in case he needed advice on how to run from the cops while carrying a six-year-old. She indeed had very little faith in Wheatley. She watched him as he swung on the swings with Angie, and then again as he found it awkward being taller than the monkey bars. She decided to take out her notes.

_Mission Log:_

_Subject Wheatley has become more familiar with living among humans. Though he continues to make errors, it is to be expected. In the short time he has been among humans, Subject Wheatley has procured employment and the companionship of two humans. His study of human life is going exceptionally well, despite a few drawbacks. Thanks to his carelessness and lack of any real common sense, Subject Wheatley incurred the wrath of Subject Lillian by getting them kicked out of her favorite food purchasing establishment. By the looks of her, she seemed to enjoy that place._

_Hmm…where did that come from?_

_Though incompetent, he shows improving signs. One worrisome point though; his human body is forcing memories of his former self back. My files indicate that his memories were erased upon being put into a construct. It is not uncommon for subjects to "lose themselves" upon downloading into a core. But something tells me my initial thoughts of him volunteering out of stupidity may have been false. His constant resurgence of memories may take its toll on his already fragile and struggling mind, but in a positive way. Anything can bring up a pleasant or unpleasant memory. Be it sleeping or just walking down the road._

_Subject Lillian's patience with Subject Wheatley has become more resilient, but not without drawbacks. Her stubbornness would make her the perfect test subject…or, close enough. Her dual role as big sister and caretaker to the Tiny Human Subject Angela seem to constantly take their toll on her. One is to wonder how long it has been since she's had companionship. By monitoring her body, my scans show when she is around Subject Wheatley, her temperature rises and her heart beats faster. This could be the onset of something quite beneficial, though the likelihood of Subject Wheatley messing up such a thing is very high._

_Further study is needed. End log._

As GLaDOS closed the folder containing Wheatley's progress, something on another monitor caught her attention. She believed she saw motion, but saw nothing when she brought the monitor closer to her. All that sat in that room was a weighted cube, sitting on a button in the empty test chamber. "That's funny. No one is scheduled to be in that test chamber for another few days. Repairs aren't finished." GLaDOS mused, as she zoomed into the image. She looked closer at the cube, and noted it wasn't a regular weighted storage device. It had hearts on it…hearts…

GLaDOS's optic widened. "You're getting sloppy…" she murmured softly. A small beeping sound echoed off the chamber walls. "Blue, Orange, are you two anywhere near test chamber forty-two on level lambda?" she asked. ATLAS chattered something. "Good. Repairs aren't finished on that level yet. But someone has been there. Go investigate."

She didn't have to tell them, really. They were already following a series of drawings on the walls of the maintenance shaft outside the test chambers. P-Body held her radio closely staring at one painting in particular. It was of the outside, the wheat field and the sunny sky. She touched the painting softly. It was dry. Whoever was here was long gone by now, but P-Body couldn't stop staring at the painting.

She had only seen sunlight a handful of times: once when GLaDOS had her and ATLAS go outside to shoo away crows that were pecking the cameras outside the shed and the rest were in picture books in the abandoned dormitories they had their little club house in. P-Body examined the painting closer and saw a tiny human painted in the field. It had black hair and wore orange. P-Body knew who that was. They didn't know her name, so they referred to her as "The Lady" in their little robot language. The Lady was standing in the field, looking up at the sun.

GLaDOS could see through their eyes. "The sun…I wonder what it would feel like…wait, no I don't. Continue on." She said, as the robots made their way to the test chamber entrance. The door was locked, but a panel opened up when the robots approached. "You should be able to override the door manually. I haven't set it to open automatically yet." ATLAS nodded and started punching in the code.

Before the door could open, both robots felt an odd shock to their systems. "Blue? Orange? Come in!" shouted GLaDOS, as the feed to the monitors went black. P-Body fell to the ground hard. ATLAS was a little tougher, and didn't go down fast. All GLaDOS saw was a shadow in the hallway before the monitor feed was cut. She tried to hack back into the feed, but it was down. ATLAS watched the shadowy figure drag his companion toward an open wall panel. Mustering up his courage, ATLAS ran full force at the figure, only to be shocked by a higher dosage of electricity from a stun gun made of random parts.

A shadowy figure dragged the two unconscious robots toward the broken wall panel. "Too many variables…" he mumbled, through insane sounding gibberish.

P-Body woke up first. As she slowly came back online, she realized she couldn't move. She chattered loudly, enough to wake up ATLAS. When she regained control of her limbs, she slowly stepped off the platform she and ATLAS were laying on. The shadowy figure was gone, for now at least. Whoever this person was had made their home in a long abandoned test chamber. Far below GLaDOS's reach but not far enough to where one would hit what was called "The Forbidden Zone".

Shaking himself back online, ATLAS approached P-Body, who at that moment noticed her radio was missing. She chirped excitedly, looking around for it. ATLAS stopped her, motioned that they had bigger problems, and started looking around. P-Body agreed, though she mourned the loss of her radio. The abandoned test chamber looked like the test subject dormitories, except made from scraps of this and that. What the robots assumed was the kitchen was a jerry-rigged heater and CPU components and the counter was fallen ceiling debris. The living area was broken office furniture and the bedroom area was a fort like structure with a broken relaxation chamber as the bed. The walls were covered in paintings, and the one closest to them looked fresh.

ATLAS tried chattering to GLaDOS, but communications were obviously knocked out. P-Body looked up at the management rail above. The compound was littered with management rails for the personality cores to surf around on, if any were around. "Hello?" they heard a voice say. It sounded like a squeakier version of GLaDOS. The robots looked inside the fort structure and found a turret. It either wasn't armed or wasn't programed to attack. "I'm different…"

P-Body picked up the turret and set it up-right outside the fort. "Thank you." It said, as the two robots examined it. P-Body chirped something and the turret aimed its laser at her. "Alice, follow the white rabbit!" it shouted. The two robots shrugged and kept examining. The turret aimed for ATLAS. "Don't be late for the tea party!" it shouted again. P-Body picked up the turret to take apart the casing. Before she could get a latch off, the turret started to shake and screech loudly. P-Body dropped the turret and watched it spark. It stopped shaking and its eye started to glow.

"Alice will return to Wonderland, but in a different form."

"Tweedledee and Tweedledum will go look for her, but in a different form."

"The Queen of Hearts will not be happy, but she will not be mad."

"Do not be afraid of the Mad Hatter, he is a friend…"

"The looking glass! The looking glass! Do not pass through it! Danger lies inside!"

ATLAS picked up the turret and shook it. "That's all I can say." It said, as ATLAS dropped it. P-Body picked it up and held it gingerly as its legs retreated back into its body. ATLAS sighed and looked around the chamber. He shook P-Body and pointed to the broken window to the observation room. P-Body turned around and noted that the door on the other side was open. Using fallen ceiling tiles as leverage, the two escaped the test chamber and ran off to find a transport tube.

Later on, GLaDOS had P-Body take the turret apart to examine its inner workings. "You two did well. I would say I'm sorry about the radio, Orange, but that would be a fabrication." said GLaDOS, looking over P-Body's shoulder. P-Body wasn't paying attention. P-Body recoiled at an electrical pop and watched the turret power on.

"Hello, my Queen." It said politely as it aimed for GLaDOS. Its voice didn't sound like a turret's.

"Shut it off, Orange." GLaDOS commanded. P-Body tried yanking at some cords, but it shocked her badly causing her to power down.

"My Queen, you are in danger of being dethroned. The Mad Hatter is coming, and he has a plan. Don't be late to the tea party!"

With that, the turret powered down and recoiled back into its body. "Orange?" GLaDOS has a metal hook nudge P-Body a bit. She was out like a light. She picked up the unconscious robot and looked her over. "Well, I think I have an excuse to give you two those new upgrades I promised a while ago."

GLaDOS summoned ATLAS and had the two taken to the Hub by the Party Escort Bots. "Be gentle with them…" she said.

_**Scheduled Sarcasm Self-Test Complete**_

"Good, that's still working properly. I do like to keep my systems in check." She mused, as she picked up the turret. Any shock from the little turret would only tickle GLaDOS. "I don't know what my little rat has planned, but it won't work. Do you know why?" GLaDOS asked the little turret, as if expecting an answer. "Because I'm on to him…for years, they underestimated my abilities: the engineers, the scientists, even the test subjects. They tried everything to weaken me, but they forgot one flaw they programmed into me…"

GLaDOS tossed the little turret down the incinerator hatch. She heard it shout "Noooo!" and then she heard it's blood-curdling scream (if one had blood to do such an action). "They programed me to overcome any obstacle and it was the death of them…literally." Mechanical whirring could be heard all over the compound.

_**This is an emergency announcement. All testing is postponed until further notice for test chamber maintenance. Please assume the part escort position and wait patiently for a Party Escort Bot.**_

"I should probably go check on my idiot. Maybe something interesting has happened." GLaDOS mused, as she made a monitor come down.

As what GLaDOS assumed was evening rolled around, she found herself conversing with Wheatley as he lay in his bed. _"Have you ever thought about being human, GLaDOS?"_ he asked, as GLaDOS coiled around in her chamber.

"Why would I want to do something like that?" asked GLaDOS, as she overlooked the maintenance of the facility on another monitor.

_"Well, despite a few setbacks, I'm enjoying most of humanity. I'm not restricted to the management rail; I can walk where I want, though I get yelled at for walking on grass in certain areas of the city. I will admit it, though. I do sometimes miss being a construct. At least when I was a construct, these weird visions didn't plague me." _He wasn't really listening at this point. She made sure the nanobots were doing their jobs. She usually didn't make them go farther than the abandoned test subject dormitories when doing maintenance, but there was obviously something down there that needed to be fixed (depending on one's definition of the word).

_"Oh, love, before I forget, did you ever find the source of all that trouble from yesterday?"_ Wheatley asked.

GLaDOS didn't really want to answer that. She stayed silent for a bit. "We found a few things, but nothing definite. I'll keep you informed. I have some things to take care of. Go ahead and get some sleep. We'll speak again in the morning."

While she didn't turn off the monitor to Wheatley's feed, she turned off her end of the communicator, so he couldn't hear her. She overlooked the billions of nanobots work crews doing overtime on the repairs and reporting back to her in their little nanobot language.

_"To be human…to experience memories…to experience emotions and pain…"_ she heard Wheatley muse over the feedback. GLaDOS had no time for his ramblings. She felt the coming of a revolution of sorts and it made her very angry. There was nothing the humans could do…but someone was doing something to the inner workings of the facility. She didn't seem worried. She decided to bide her time. This rat wasn't the only one with a plan.

GLaDOS had plenty of tricks up her metaphorical sleeves. Tricks not even her programmers could account for. They made her self-aware and they paid the price for it.

Deep in the compound, someone was on the move. Escaping the Party Escort Bot patrol and carrying P-Body's radio, the figure had to abandon his home and go deeper into the facility. Setbacks plagued his plans, but he was biding his time as well.

In the Hub, ATLAS and P-Body were getting their upgrades. It wasn't a simple mechanical upgrade. GLaDOS had something more detailed planned for her two robots. New parts, so to speak. Something was going on, and they needed to be stronger…and they needed to blend in…

* * *

><p><strong>N'cha, you guys!<strong>

**So, this is mostly filler for something I have planned for the next few chapters. I wanted to give you all a glimpse as to what is to come. But don't worry, my loyal fans, this story has a while before it's over. There is plenty of human Wheatley action going on, so don't you all fret.**

**I made a weird discovery the other day while playing through Portal 2. In one of the rooms after you reawaken GLaDOS, Wheatley will appear through one of the panels. I think it's the first room with the redirection cubes. Well, if you're fast enough, you can pick up Wheatley! I actually found this out by accident, as I was trying to pick up the cube but grabbed him instead! He doesn't say anything and I'm not sure if it's a glitch or an oversight by the programmers, but I didn't want to crash my game, so I decided to load from the last save point. But it's an interesting point of fact, isn't it? I doubt I'm the first person to discover this, but it'd be cool if I was. Haha!**

**Well, as always, review and be merry my friends. Keep the story going with reviews, as my computer is powered by praise lol just kidding. I appreciate all reviews and I look forward to answering any questions you guys might have. Feel free to ask away!**

**GLaDOS and Wheatley belong to Valve.**


	9. Big City Blues

_Reconstructing Humanity_

Big City Blues

_Hey Wheaters,_

_I had an important errand to run, so you'll have to take Angie to school. I'm closing the bookstore for today so don't worry about work. Angie knows the way to her school and she has my public bus pass, so getting to and from there shouldn't be a problem. I should be done in time to pick her up and to make dinner. Please, please, __PLEASE__ stay out of trouble today. Drop her off and take the bus straight home._

_Angie will let you use her key to get back into the apartment. Don't "hack" any doors like last time. I'm still paying for that broken window. Angie has show and tell today at school, so make sure she was everything ready to go before you two leave. The first bus towards her school leaves at 8:30am, so you should arrive at her school just in time for the morning bell. There are pop tarts in the cabinet, so have those for breakfast._

_~Lil_

_P.S. - That orange juice in the bunny cup on the counter is for Angie, it has her vitamins in it. Make sure she drinks it._

Wheatley put the note back down on the counter and took a quick swig of orange juice from the small cup with bunnies on it. "Hey GLaDOS?" whispered Wheatley. "What's a public bus pass? And a public bus?" he asked, putting the cup to his lips. He heard beeping and clicking sounds coming from his implant.

"_Well, this is interesting. Public transportation; it's what people use to get to other places in the city. People use passes so they don't have to pay a fee for it. It runs on a schedule, a very strict schedule according to the information I just pulled up."_ answered GLaDOS. _"I always knew humans were lazy, but I must admit, the benefits of public transportation make up for it. It saves money, it's good for the environment, and in some cases is a lot faster than driving somewhere yourself. Not that Subject Lil would ever let you drive her vehicle. According to this, they have special shuttles for tourists and funerals. Funerals sound fun."_

Wheatley looked at the clock on the cable box in the living room.

_8:19 am. _

Wheatley nearly choked on his orange juice and ran toward the hallway. He knocked loudly on Angie's door. "Tiny Human! Wake up! We're running late!" he shouted, as he ran to his bedroom to get dressed. Angie was already up, unbeknownst to him and already ready. Wheatley yanked his clothes on and grabbed his wallet just before dashing out his bedroom door. "Hurry, hurry!" he shouted, as Angie left her bedroom.

She didn't want to laugh at Wheatley, but he was making too easy. She packed up everything she needed slowly as Wheatley wrestled with his shoes. "I can't believe I almost slept through getting you on the bus to this school place!" he shouted, finally getting his shoes on. "We'd better hurry, we don't have long!" He then dashed out the door, leaving Angie standing in there, scratching her head.

"_Aren't we forgetting something?"_ asked GLaDOS.

"What could I be forgetting?" asked Wheatley, shuffling through his pockets. "I have my wallet, I have pants on this time, and…" Wheatley was almost halfway down the outside stairs when he realized Angie wasn't behind him. He turned around and went back up, arriving at the apartment door just as Angie was closing the door and locking it. He smiled nervously and scratched the back of his head. "Sorry about that…" he said, as Angie took his hand.

Angie led Wheatley to the bus stop, just as the city bus was arriving. "This is a city bus, Mr. Wheatley." She said, as the doors opened. "People who don't have cars or don't like to drive take the bus to get to places." Wheatley looked astounded as they boarded. Angie showed the bus driver their pass and he nodded with a smile. "The morning bus driver is pretty friendly. The lady in the afternoon is mean, though." Angie led Wheatley to a middle seat and let him have the window. "The middle row is the best. The front is too noisy and the back is too crowded, so the middle is just right." She said, happily.

As the rest of the passengers sat down, the bus doors closed and the bus took off. Wheatley started to panic, not sure what was happening. "Calm down, Mr. Wheatley! The bus is just moving." Angie whispered. Wheatley took deep breaths and smiled nervously. "The best part about the bus is the windows. You can see everything in the city from the windows." Angie pointed out the window at the people of the city's shopping district going about their morning errands.

The bus then came to a stop. Wheatley started to get up but Angie made him sit back down. "This isn't our stop, Mr. Wheatley. The bus is just stopping to pick up more people."

Angie held her back pack close as people boarded. Wheatley looked out the window at a flower shop across the street from them. The shop keeper was a young lady with long orange hair; she wore a pink dress and a yellow apron. Wheatley watched as she hung up a sign and walked back into the store. "Today only…sunflowers seven dollars a dozen." He read, as Angie turned to him.

"Lil's favorite flower! That's awesome. I'll tell her about it later." said Angie as the bus started going again.

"That lady looked like one of the girls in that picture Miss Lil keeps on the counter." said Wheatley, remembering a framed photograph of Lil and three other girls at the beach.

Angie peered over Wheatley and jumped happily. "Oh, that's Miss Annie! She's one of Lil's best friends. Lil told me she's getting married soon! Her family owns that flower shop and she's usually working the register while her brother works in the back."

Wheatley remembered Lil telling him about an upcoming wedding that she was attending and playing guitar at. He wasn't sure what a wedding was, but when the subject was brought up, Lil would get depressed. Wheatley didn't like seeing her sad, so he'd usually drop the subject and go find something else to do. "Tiny Human, what's a wedding?" he asked, turning his attention from the window.

Angie smiled wide. "A wedding is a big party where two people get married." She said. Wheatley blinked. Angie giggled, knowing what he was about to ask. "Getting married means two people become husband and wife. They invite all their loved ones, and the first part is boring, but after the two kiss, everyone goes to a big party and dance and eat yummy foods!" Angie bounced in her seat from excitement. "Lil and I went to our aunt's wedding before our parents died. Mom was kind of weak, but she didn't want to miss the wedding. I think Mom was an only child, because she didn't have any siblings."

The bus made a few more stops and finally made it to Angie's school. Wheatley got off with Angie and walked her up to the front of the school. "Do you need me to walk in with you to your classroom?" he asked, kneeling down.

"No thank you, Mr. Wheatley. You might hit your head on the doorway again." She giggled. Wheatley smiled and stood up. He did slightly tower over most of the parents there.

"Alright, do you have everything? Your books, your show and tell project, your lunch? Miss Lil will be very cross if you forget anything, and I'd rather her not yell at me or you. But she'll yell at me first." he asked. Angie opened her backpack and searched around. She nodded happily and waved while running off. Wheatley waved to Angie as she ran to meet up with some friends.

As Wheatley turned around, he was stopped suddenly by a crowd of women. "Hi, are you little Angie's caretaker?" asked the woman in front. Wheatley nodded. "I'm Miss Jennings, I'm Angie's teacher. You must be the famous Mr. Wheatley! She talks about you all the time." The group of women blushed softly. "She told me you live with her and her sister, and that you work at the bookstore her sister owns. That's impressive." Wheatley backed up and tried to keep his eye on the bus, which was already loading passengers. Wheatley smiled and nodded politely to the crowd of women, who were asking a lot of embarrassing questions.

"Well, this has been nice, but I have to go…" Wheatley pulled himself away from the crowd and ran toward the bus. He almost leapt on as the door was closing. He sighed in relief and went to find a seat. Luckily, the bus wasn't too full, so getting a middle seat wasn't a problem. He sighed happily and stared out the window.

"_What is it with you and women? Women practically throw themselves at you and you ignore them like a bumbling oaf…or an even bigger bumbling oaf."_ scolded GLaDOS. _"I don't think you realize how beneficial talking to people is to your mission."_

Wheatley sighed and made sure no one was near him. "It would probably be more beneficial if they weren't gawking at me." He whispered. "Besides, I much rather enjoy talking to Miss Lil. At least her inane babbling actually forms words. Most of it is loud and directed towards something I broke, but at least she makes sense." Wheatley leaned against the window and sighed softly.

"_You shouldn't make it sound like anyone screaming at you is a good thing. She tolerates you, for reasons I don't even know."_ said GLaDOS.

"Miss Lil does have a lot of patience. I mean, she's a wonderful woman. Patient, caring, and underneath that rough exterior is just this familiar feeling…something about her that is familiar and gives me a real sense of home; I haven't felt that since being at the facility. That feeling…like even though we've only known each other for a little while, it feels like we're life-long friends…" Wheatley yawned softly and leaned back in his seat. He grumbled softly and closed his eyes. "That feeling…" he started snoring softly as the bus kept going.

_Wheatley ran as fast as he could, a to-go coffee cup in one hand, his work bag in the other, and his I.D. badge in his mouth, toward the entrance of the Aperture Science facility. The lady at the front desk saw him running and pushed the button for the automatic door just as he flew by. She shook her head and watched Wheatley guzzle down his now cold coffee and get himself organized. When he left the apartment, Pam was still asleep, so he didn't get a chance to hear her yell at him for staying up all night working and how she found him asleep on his keyboard._

_He arrived in the locker room as the other interns were just leaving. "Hey, Pendleton! We were starting to wonder if you were even coming in today." said Harvey, as Wheatley ran to his locker. _

"_I was up all night with that damn program. I think I cracked it, but I fell asleep. Pam must have put me to bed." Wheatley yawned. "I'm going to hear it from her when I get home, that's for sure."_

_Before the interns could leave the locker room, a tall woman in a beige dress stopped them. She had long black hair and wore a silk scarf around her neck. They knew who she was. This was Caroline, Mr. Johnson's personal assistant (and there were rumors she was also his wife). "Hold tight, you guys." She said, in her usual cheery tone. For a woman who was constantly buried under paperwork, she was always unusually happy and looked well younger than her actual age. "Your instructor won't be coming in today. There was an accident involving today's lesson, so you all have the day off. He wanted anyone who was done with whatever project he gave you to take home to give it to me." Caroline held out her manicured hand and opened it. The interns looked at each other and looked around nervously._

_Caroline smiled softly and retracted her hand. "Well, he didn't exactly expect anyone to…"_

"_Miss Caroline!" Wheatley pulled a jewel disk case out of his locker and rushed it to Caroline. "I worked on it all night, and I know I'm going to get it from my girlfriend when I get home, but I finished it last night." said Wheatley, handing the disk to Caroline. "Before you ask, yes I ran it and everything works perfectly. Ran it several different times, and did a virus check. It took hours, but it should run."_

_She looked genuinely impressed. Usually, whenever Caroline dealt with Wheatley it was helping him fill out accident reports (most of which he caused in some way/shape/form). The other interns (save for Harvey) weren't as impressed. "Well, how punctual and very professional of you, Mr. Pendleton; we need more people like you on our staff. I'll see to it that your instructor gets this right away. He should be back by tomorrow. Everyone else, don't fret. He'll look over everyone's when he gets back." Caroline waved to the interns and left the locker room, her high heels clicking as they went._

_Wheatley felt pretty good about his accomplishment and enjoyed Caroline's praise, the other interns (save for Harvey) just glared at him as they walked towards the lockers. "That was pretty awesome, Pendleton." said Harvey, as he opened his locker and put his lab coat up. "I haven't even started on mine." Wheatley smiled and went to open his locker, only to have it slammed closed by one of the other interns._

"_Are you purposely trying to make us look bad, Pendleton?" asked Smith, his hand still on Wheatley's locker. Wheatley may have been the tallest person in the room, but Smith was by far the most intimidating. "You must think you're hot stuff finishing before the rest of us, don't you?" Smith just stared at Wheatley. Wheatley had done everything he could to get along with Smith, but no matter what the situation, Smith always had a bone to pick with poor Wheatley, so Wheatley had learned to just stay out of Smith's way. "You may be computer smart, but as far as the rest of us are concerned, you're an idiot who's got just enough common sense to know how to tie his shoes, and that's being generous. If not for your little girlfriend, you wouldn't know left from right."_

"_Hey, lay off, Smith!" shouted Harvey, as he closed his locker. "You're just mad because he got it done first. Pendleton's got a lot to work for. He didn't just sashay his way through college like you did." Wheatley was happy to have a friend like Harvey._

_Smith just glared at Wheatley and started to speak again, but he just stormed out of the locker room. The other interns (who wisely decided not to get involved) picked up their personal belongings and left. "I don't know what I did to piss him off so bad." said Wheatley, opening his locker. _

"_Ahh, ignore Smith. He's just going through some stuff right now and just needed a punching bag. He'll get over it." said Harvey, putting his jacket on. "So, Saturday's the big day, ehh?" Harvey softly jabbed Wheatley in his side with his elbow._

_Wheatley chuckled and took the ring out of his locker and into his pocket. "Yeah, I can't wait. She'll love it to death." Wheatley sighed happily as he walked out of the locker room with Harvey. "This year has been tough for her. Pam loved that job but when her illness got worse, she was forced to quit. She's still depressed about it. But no matter what, I'll take care of her."_

_Harvey smiled and patted Wheatley's shoulder as they walked the hallway. As they walked, Wheatley glanced over at a windowed doorway leading down a hallway. According to the sign, it was the employee daycare. "When did we put a daycare in?" Wheatley asked. _

_Harvey shrugged. "I remember some of the full-time employees complaining about not being able to find child care nearby, so I think the higher ups had one put in. It's mostly girls in there, maybe one or two boys. I hear to increase moral, they are planning some kind of 'Bring Your Kid to Work' day or something. It'd be the kids wondering around the labs, basically."_

_Wheatley watched as a group of little girls were being led into the daycare. One of the older ones caught his attention. She wore an orange dress and kept her straight black hair in a high ponytail. She looked like she was old enough to go to regular school. But then again, because of his height, Wheatley was often mistaken for being older than he was as a child, so he really wasn't one to judge. Why she stuck out to him, he didn't know. Something in his gut told him she was destined for something big._

"Hey, Mister?" said a college kid with pink hair, as she poked Wheatley awake. Wheatley woke up with a jolt. "Hey Mister, the bus driver says this is the last stop. You have to get off." Wheatley stared at the girl as she put her ear buds back in her ears and left the bus. Wheatley made sure he had everything and got off the bus. As soon as he disembarked, the bus closed its doors tightly and drove off. He looked around and noticed this wasn't his stop. He looked around again and noted where he was had a lot of young adults walking around with backpacks.

Wheatley looked over and saw the girl again, fiddling with her music player. He tapped her on the shoulder and politely asked where he was. "Oh, you must have missed your stop. Well, you're at the community college." She responded, as she took her ear buds out. Wheatley looked confused.

"Community college?" Wheatley asked.

The girl cocked an eyebrow. "Yeah, the community college. It's for us folks who can't afford or don't have to grades to go to the big universities yet. It's a simple place. Good people just trying to better themselves." The girl said, matter-of-factly.

Wheatley looked panicked. "That's fascinating…listen, when does the next public bus come around, do you know, love?" he asked. The girl looked behind him at the sign.

"Well, the next bus doesn't come until about five, when most of the classes get out. You have a pretty good while to wait, Mister." said the girl again.

"Alright, new plan…which way is the shopping district?" Wheatley asked.

"About a few miles that way, just follow the signs." She girl pointed to a long stretch of road. "But you have a pretty far walk ahead of you. You might want to get some bottled water at the student center." With that, the girl put her ear buds back in her ears and walked away.

"_Congratulations, moron; you're lost in an unfamiliar part of the city."_ scolded GLaDOS.

Wheatley looked around and tried to get his bearings straight. "Alright, that girl with the funny colored hair said to get some bottled water from the student center. Where would that be?" Wheatley asked, as he looked around. Wheatley found a sign and walked over to a big brick building with picnic tables in front of it. He tried not to notice all the eyes on him as he walked past everyone. Wheatley smiled at everyone and waved softly as he made his way into the building.

The soda machines were in the lobby, which made things slightly easier for Wheatley. "I've seen Miss Lil use these things before but truth be told, I wasn't quite paying attention. How does it work?" Wheatley asked when he made sure no one was around.

"_You put a green piece of paper into the little slot and press a button. That's how the vending machines they used to have here worked."_ said GLaDOS.

Wheatley took out his wallet and reached in. He pulled out a dollar and stuck it into the slot. He looked at each button and pressed the one that said water. He listened in amazement as the machine made odd sounds and finally dispensed it's product in the hatch at the bottom of the machine. "Oh, wow! Brilliant!" he shouted, taking his water. Wheatley noticed a college student walking by with a can of the fizzy drink. "He has a fizzy drink." said Wheatley, pointing to the passing student.

"_I really wish you'd stop calling it that. It's called a soda. It's a carbonated beverage that isn't good for you. Too much caffeine can overload your system."_ said GLaDOS, as Wheatley left the building. He started walking away from the campus as a group of professors left a nearby building. Lil was among them.

"Well we appreciate you sharing your father's research with us." said one of the instructors. "His contributions to this college and the university are missed, but we are happy to see his adventurous spirit lives on in his eldest daughter."

Lil blushed and handed over a folder to the head instructor. "Well, I know his old research would be better fitted to help out the students he left behind than collecting dust in my storage area." Lil laughed, as the instructors escorted her to her car.

"You know, he was on an assignment with some students when he met your mother. He said it was a happy accident." laughed another instructor.

Lil smiled and took her keys out of her pocket. "Well, if I find anything else, I'll give you guys a call." Lil started up her jeep and drove off. She stopped briefly at a stop light and noticed a man walking in the opposite direction. "That guy looks like Wheatley." She said to herself. She shook the thought out of her head and drove on. "No, even he isn't stupid enough to get himself lost. I mean, how hard is 'get on the bus then get off the bus' to follow?"

Wheatley walked along the houses on the street toward the shopping district. "Such nice houses. I wonder why Miss Lil doesn't own one. Her bookstore certainly makes enough for her to afford a home, even a modestly sized one." He pondered, admiring the homes as they passed by. He stopped at one house in particular that was obviously abandoned. He stopped in front of the gate and turned his head. The sign in the front yard was big and yellow saying "**CONDEMNED! DO NOT PASS YELLOW TAPE OR ENTER DWELLING**". Wheatley felt himself get dizzy and leaned against the fence.

_Holding Pam's hand, Wheatley admired the houses in this new neighborhood. There were only a few houses at the moment, but the development showed good signs. Some plots of land were already bought up while some still had their little "FOR SALE" signs up. Pam looked to be in better spirits, considering how mad she was earlier at Wheatley for working all night. Wheatley figured she was just glad to have him home today. "Oh, look at that house, Wheatley!" Pam shouted anxiously, tugging him toward a house._

_The house looked like it had just been finished, with a lovely manicured yard and fresh paint on the fence. The "FOR SALE" sign looked lonely with nothing but an azalea bush standing next to it. "What a lovely home!" Pam said excitedly. "Whoever buys up that house will be the luckiest people in the world." She sighed. On top of the sign was a tube with flyers in it. Wheatley reached over and grabbed one. The price seemed reasonable for a brand new house and it was certainly big enough (three bedrooms two baths, nicely sized living room and a legume shaped pool in the backyard)._

_He desperately wished he could afford a home, but that wouldn't be an option for a good long while. "Ahh, don't worry, love; I'll buy us a house someday." Wheatley chuckled, putting his arm around Pam. _

"_Don't tease me." Pam giggled. Wheatley held Pam tightly as they continued their walk._

Wheatley shook himself out of his trance and continued to walk. The memories had become more frequent lately and it was scaring him. "I'm scared…" he whispered softly. He looked up at another sign and smiled, as it told him where the shopping district was. The sign above it told him he was heading toward the business district, meaning he had to walk through whatever that was to get home.

Wheatley kept walking, finding himself amongst the blaring horns of passing cars and the giant buildings. He had never felt so small in his time as a human. _"Don't be alarmed. These are buildings. Corporate offices and what not. Just keep to yourself and you should be fine."_ said GLaDOS.

Wheatley nodded and kept going, trying not to make eye contact with anyone passing him. He noted that everyone was wearing suits of some kind, feeling pretty out of place in simple jeans and a shirt. "I stick out like a sore thumb here, love." Wheatley whispered, passing people.

He wasn't sure why, but Wheatley was compelled to walk down a side street, which he obeyed his instinct this time. _"Where are you going? The signs say the shopping district is the other way"_ GLaDOS scolded. Wheatley didn't listen, as it felt like an unknown force was guiding him down this deserted street.

A little more walking and Wheatley soon found himself outside of a large fenced area. The signs on the fence said "DO NOT PASS" and Wheatley did just that. He felt himself compelled to look within the fence and at the street. From what he could make out, this area of the city looked like a warzone. Broken down buildings and crumbled road adorned the landscape. He pressed himself against the fence and sighed. _"This place doesn't look like it's been occupied in years. This isn't your home."_

"Home…" Wheatley said, mournfully as he glanced over at a fallen street sign. It said Cobblestone Drive. "Cobblestone Drive…why does that sound so familiar?" he asked himself as he started walking away. "That must be the old part of the city that Miss Lil was talking about. The so called 'Memorial' to that incident and invasion she talked about." Wheatley ignored his urgings to cross the perimeter and just kept walking. He looked up at his wristwatch and noted it was about lunchtime now. He was starting to get hungry.

After a little more walking, Wheatley finally made it back to the shopping district. He looked around and tried to find a familiar landmark. In retrospect, all the buildings looked about the same. _"Well, it took you a good while, but you're back."_ said GLaDOS, who had been silent for a while.

"You were out for a while. What are you working on that has you so occupied?" asked Wheatley.

"_It doesn't concern you, well not yet at least. Just try and find your way back."_

Wheatley found something familiar; the flower shop. The sign was still out front advertising the sunflowers. He sighed as he read the sign. "Excuse me?" chirped a voice behind him. Wheatley turned around slowly and saw the girl Angie identified as Annie, standing in front of him. "I'm sorry to bother you, but is your name by chance Wheatley?" she asked. Wheatley nodded and watched Annie pounce up and down happily. "Oh good! Lil told me you'd be at her apartment but I was scared when I went over there and no one was home. She told me to go check on you."

Annie invited him into her store after she introduced herself and directed him to sit down at a table near the backroom door. "Would you like something to drink?" she asked, as she put a pot of tea on.

"Do you have any soda? Particularly the ones in the purple cans? That stuff is magical!" asked Wheatley, in an excited tone.

Annie giggled. "No, but I'm making some tea if you'd like some."

Something about tea made Wheatley sit up. It sounded familiar and the thought of a cup of tea made him happy. He watched as she approached with an adorable little tea cup. "Lil told me your work for her now. That's wonderful, she's been trying to find someone to replace her ex-boyfriend for a while now." said Annie, as she placed a bowl of sugar down. "You seem like a pretty friendly guy. She told me her store has been doing a lot better now that you're on." Wheatley wasn't sure why, but he instinctively put two spoonful's of sugar in his tea.

"It's fun working there. Occasionally, a large group of women come in and just watch me stock books. Miss Lil has to shoo them off with a broom if they don't buy anything. And sometimes this really nice man named Austin comes in and we talk philosophy. He's really friendly, too. The other day, he patted my bum as he left the store. Miss Lil started laughing and said he was just being friendly. It's a little too friendly for my tastes, but he buys a lot of books every time he comes in so I tolerate it." Wheatley lifted up his cup of tea and took a small snip. The warmth of the tea made his cheeks flush with joy.

"I don't know if she's told you, but I'm getting married in a month or so." said Annie. "I gave her an invitation for her and a guest. I know she'll want to bring her sister, but I think it might be a bit too late in the evening for little Angie to be out. Besides, she gets bored easily. Maybe I can talk Lil into bringing you." Annie sipped her tea softly. "You know, since you came to work for her, Lil has been in much better spirits." Wheatley looked up and watched Annie. "Before you came along, she was always depressed and didn't really do much. I know it mostly comes from her parents being gone and having to take care of little Angie all by herself. But then you suddenly showed up and for the first time in a while, Lil is singing, she's not as grumpy, and she's started playing the guitar again. I hear her cooking has gotten better, too."

Wheatley chuckled softly. He always liked Lil's cooking and wasn't sure why everyone called her a bad cook. Annie finished her tea and got up to tend to some flowers. "Every time I bring you up, she gets defensive. If I didn't know any better, Mr. Wheatley, I'd say she has a little crush on you."

Wheatley heard GLaDOS chuckle and murmur something. "Miss Lil, fancy me? I've never heard such an outrageous thing. She's always yelling at me and chasing me with the fly swatter for eating her candy and all sorts of other things that I do just make her yell at me." Wheatley finished his tea and placed the cup down.

"It's not that outrageous. She's always talking about you. 'Wheatley this' and 'Wheatley that' and 'I can't believe Wheatley walked out of the shower without clothes on again' seems to be a favorite of hers. Positive or negative, you're always on her mind. But how do you feel about her?" Annie asked, taking his cup.

Somewhat taken aback by the question, Wheatley thought for a moment about Lil. "I do like Miss Lil, very much. She took me in when she could have just left me to the elements. She's been more than patient with me and she's been helping me with my human problems." Annie didn't know what he meant by "Human Problems" but smiled anyway. "It's only been about a little while, but I feel like I've known her all my life. Something about her seems familiar but I can't put my finger on it."

Annie giggled and sat down across from him. "Well, there is an old saying that everyone has a twin. Maybe you knew each other in a former life." Wheatley wasn't sure what she meant by that. He stood up and looked around at all the flowers.

"How could I have known her in a former life? I barely know who I was…." He murmured, softly feeling the bud of a sunflower. "Besides, Miss Lil probably doesn't fancy me as much as you think she does. I bet she has beaus lined up just to ask her out. She'd never go for a guy like me."

Annie smiled and looked at a vase with sunflowers in it. "Oh, Mr. Wheatley…Cupid is mysterious…"

Wheatley left the flower shop with a big smile on his face. If he didn't look out of place before, he sure did now. A block or so later, he was standing in front of the bookstore. _"Finally, you made your way back." _said GLaDOS, as Wheatley approached the bookstore. He didn't see Lil's Jeep, so he safely assumed she wasn't home yet. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the key Angie had given him and opened the door. This would be the first time since living there that he would be alone in the apartment. Just as he was getting comfortable, he heard the door open again. In ran Angie and Lil.

"Mr. Wheatley!" Angie ran to him and gave him a big hug.

"Well, hello, Tiny Human! How was your day?" he asked, standing up. Angie went on and on about her day as Wheatley walked to greet Lil. "How did your errand go, Miss Lil?" he asked, as Angie ran to get herself a can of soda.

"It went fine. Weirdest thing, I was driving back from one of my errands, and I saw a guy that looked exactly like you walking around the college campus." Lil scratched her head as Wheatley looked at her nervously. "Well, they say everyone has a twin." Lil shrugged and made her way to the kitchen. Before she could turn on the stove, a knock at the door came. Wheatley was taking plates out of the cabinet when he felt a pair of arms hug his waist. He blushed and placed the plates on the counter. "They're lovely, thank you."

Wheatley turned around and saw a big vase full of sunflowers on the table. He picked up the card and read it to himself. _To Lil,_ _thank you for everything._ _Love, Wheatley_

"But I didn't…" he was interrupted by a kiss on the cheek from Lil. "…well, you know me, Mr. Surprises…" he gushed, as Lil fawned over the flowers. Angie walked with Lil as she took the flowers to the balcony.

"_You have no idea where they came from, do you?"_ asked GLaDOS.

"Haven't the foggiest…" said Wheatley, through his grin.

_That Evening_

Wheatley buttoned up his pajamas and sighed softly. _"You actually did well today. I must admit, seeing the city was very beneficial. You should go out more and see the city again. Maybe make some friends outside of the bookstore."_ said GLaDOS, who seemed preoccupied. _"I must wonder though…who sent her those flowers and signed your name?"_

Wheatley shrugged. "Maybe someone is trying to play Cupid…" he suggested, as he climbed into bed.

"_Doubtful, why would anyone want Subject Lillian to procreate with you?"_ asked GLaDOS.

"At least call her by her name. It's Lil." scolded Wheatley, as he laid his head down on the pillow. Wheatley took off his glasses and placed them on the nightstand. "Is that what this Cupid was aiming for? He wants me to procreate with Miss Lil? How does one go about doing that?"

GLaDOS sat silent for a moment. _"No…I don't care how crucial it is to the mission, I am not giving you the birds and bees speech."_

"Who said anything about birds and bees? How do humans procreate? Do they make more humans out of spare parts, like the turrets and cores at the facility?" asked Wheatley. He heard a clicking noise and assumed GLaDOS turned off the implant. "Maybe it was that Annie lady. She seemed like she wanted me and Miss Lil to be an item." Wheatley decided it was probably best to leave that subject for another day as he yawned and closed his eyes.

At the facility, GLaDOS decided it was time to check in on the upgrades she was giving to her two robot assistants. Their old bodies discarded, GLaDOS felt these new robot bodies would be better fitting for what she has planned. She decided a long time ago that Wheatley was probably too stupid to find her missing favorite test subject while doing his mission (which he was barely doing as it was).

While the nanobots working on the two said they weren't ready yet, GLaDOS seemed hopeful. "How much longer until they are operational again?" she asked the Party Escort supervisor through the P.A. system. The bot chattered something and went back to what it was doing. "Excellent. Alert me the moment they are ready."

GLaDOS went back to watching the monitors. She pulled up Wheatley's again and made a shuttering sound; the very thought of a horde of little Wheatley's running around made her scared.

"I fear for humanity…"

* * *

><p><strong>N'cha, you guys!<strong>

**Long chapter is long lol. I wanted to get into what would happen if someone dropped Wheatley in the middle of the city and wished him the best of luck. Well, the first part happened, anyway lol. Ever fallen asleep on the school bus? Yeah, don't ever do that; just wait to go nappy nap when you get home. It angers the bus driver who has to take you back.**

**So, I got a surprise for you guys in the next chapter. A real surprise, with hilarious consequences, and real confetti! The good stuff!**

**My original concept was going to be Wheatley roaming around the city having random flashbacks, but I didn't think it fit well with the rest of the story, so I'll use that for a future chapter.**

**So, I spent the last few days playing Portal 2 with my boyfriend. He just sat back and watched me play, and he was amazed at my awesome Portal prowess. I must admit, it was fun to play co-op with him, watching him fumbling around trying not to get himself killed. Ahh…romance. Which reminds me; there is some romance coming up, and since you guys are uber smart, you pretty much know what's going to happen. But the key is how to get to that pivotal part. You guys will love it! **

**Once again, thank you all for your generous reviews and your continued patronage. I appreciate it all. Keep the reviews coming and I'll keep the insanity going.**

**GLaDOS and Wheatley belong to Valve.**


	10. Keeping Up

_Reconstructing Humanity_

Keeping Up

GLaDOS's patience was growing thin. It had been weeks since the robots went in for their special upgrades, but the bots working on them kept insisting they weren't ready. She had thought she might have made their new upgrades too perfect, but she put the thought behind her when a dinging noise rang throughout her chamber.

Despite the drawback, the last few weeks were treating GLaDOS pretty good. The test chambers were fixed up and testing continued on schedule. There were no signs of her rat problem as of late, and the dinging noise meant the upgrades were done. Her chamber walls opened and in came two relaxation chambers. The Party Escort bot chattered something and then left. "Perfect…" GLaDOS muttered.

She wasn't sure what compelled her to give them such drastic upgrades. Maybe the idea was too funny to pass up, but either way, GLaDOS had granted their secret wish, and she had a good idea on how to use it to her advantage.

_In the City_

The trees in the shopping district took on a lovely orange color on this brisk morning, indicating that fall was indeed here. Leaves drifted in the morning breeze and came to rest on the balcony of the apartment above the bookstore. The balcony door, which used to stay slightly ajar in the mornings, was now closed tightly and locked. The air outside was crisp and everyone was wearing long sleeves. In the apartment, the morning started out chilly until Lil turned the heat on. Today seemed like a pajama day; a day to lay around in only one's pajamas.

Lil had recently hired on some new people at the bookstore. Fearing what happened to Wheatley a few weeks before was a stress related issue Lil looked over the books and thought a few part-timers wouldn't be too big of a blow to the budget. It would give her more time to prepare for the wedding she was invited to, which was a few short weeks away. Lil had been upgraded to wedding party after one of the bridesmaids had an accident that resulted in a broken leg. Lil wasn't too thrilled, but she accepted the role.

Wheatley and Angie sat in the living room eating their cereal as Lil went about getting ready or the day. Lil didn't allow sugary cereals, so Angie and Wheatley made due with sneaking some sugar from the sugar bowl. Lil was just finishing her coffee when a knock came at the door. Wheatley was mesmerized by the cartoon he and Angie were watching. "Now, this cartoon comes from a country called Japan. I've read books and seen shows about it; it looks like a cool place to visit. Their cartoons are a little different than ours."

Munching his cereal, Wheatley nodded and watched happily. He swallowed what was in his mouth and dipped his spoon in the cereal again. _"Interesting; the humans in this cartoon use small spheres to capture small animals that do their bidding. This concept is genius, though I'm not sure why it's wasted on a cartoon. Think of the scientific innovations one could accomplish if they harnessed the power of animals like those! The yellow rat thing must be particularly powerful if those idiots with the R's on their shirts keep trying to steal it."_ said GLaDOS, through Wheatley's implant. In the time he had been among humans, Wheatley had learned to ignore his implant, for the most part. GLaDOS usually got his attention again by shocking him.

"It's here!" shouted Lil, carrying a long white box into the apartment. Wheatley and Angie looked up from their cereal as Lil plopped the box onto the coffee table. "It was last minute, by my dress for the wedding finally arrived!" Lil undid the string and opened the box. Inside under all the packing paper was a bright orange full length orange bridesmaid dress. Lil lifted it out of its box and just stared at it. Wheatley cocked an eyebrow and adjusted his glasses.

Angie had thankfully already finished her cereal, or else she would have spilled it from laughing too hard. To Lil, the dress wasn't exactly a marvel of human understanding. She did, however, wonder what she did to anger the gods to want to punish her by wearing something so horrific.

"It's…not particularly ugly, Miss Lil."Wheatley reasoned, finishing his cereal.

"_Don't lie to her. That thing is hideous. I should know; one of the scientists that designed me had a fashion degree from Paris, France. Something to fall back on in case being a scientist didn't work out."_ said GLaDOS.

Lil looked over it all around. It had a sash that tied in the back. "Just perfect. The last thing I need is to look like a bottle of orange juice wearing a belt." said Lil, putting the dress on a hanger. Wheatley thought about that and tried not to laugh. The last time he ate cereal and laughed, milk came out of his nose. It was horrifying (to him at least, to everyone else it was hilarious).

After breakfast, Wheatley decided to get dressed. He, Lil, and Angie were going to a place called the mall. _"It's going to be a bit cold today. You might want to wear something warm."_ suggested GLaDOS, as Wheatley shifted through his clothing. Most of his shirts were short sleeved, but he remembered seeing a jacket among the clothes Lil had given him. He searched each dresser drawer until he found it.

It was a simple zip-up navy blue jacket with two pockets on the front. He zipped it up and looked around for his wallet. _"You should buy your own clothes."_ said GLaDOS, as Wheatley put his wallet in his coat pocket.

"What's wrong with the clothes Miss Lil gave me?" he asked.

"_Those clothes used to belong to her now deceased father. Do you think Lil likes to be reminded of her dead Dad each time she sees you? You've barely spent any of the money she has given you for working at the bookstore. You have so much of that green paper in our wallet it's about to burst."_

GLaDOS was right about that. In his time living with Lil and Angie, Wheatley had barely spent any of the money he earned working at the bookstore. While Lil never asked him what he spent it on, if she ever did, he wouldn't have an answer. Though Angie had told him money goes in a wallet, he found it quite difficult to put any in there anymore. He felt around in the pocket he put his wallet in, and felt something. He took out a folded piece of paper. He didn't unwrap it; he just placed it back in the pocket.

"Hey, GLaDOS…?" Wheatley sounded scared when addressing her.

"_What is it, Moron?"_ asked GLaDOS.

"What is a mall?" asked Wheatley as he brushed his hair.

Wheatley heard some clicking and some buzzing noises from his implant. _"According to this, a shopping mall is one or more buildings forming a complex of shops representing merchandisers, with interconnecting walkways enabling visitors to easily walk from unit to unit, along with a parking area. Basically, it's like the shopping district you live and work in, except indoors."_ said GLaDOS. _"People frequent places like this all the time. You can learn a lot from this outing."_

Wheatley left his room as the girls were putting on their shoes. Lil looked up and stared at him. "Where…did you get that coat?" she asked, pointing to Wheatley.

"It was in that box of clothes you gave me a while ago. I didn't have any long sleeve shirts, so I…" Wheatley stared at Lil, who just looked away.

"Whatever, let's go…" Lil left the apartment in haste.

Wheatley looked down at Angie, who just blinked. "You're wearing our dad's old coat." Angie said, softly.

Angie watched Wheatley take the hoodie off after taking his wallet from the front pocket. "I didn't know. It was in that box of clothes she gave me." Wheatley reasoned. "Tiny Human, does Miss Lil resent me for wearing your father's clothes?" he asked, as he and Angie made their way out of the apartment. Angie shrugged and closed the door.

The ride over to the mall was less awkward, as Lil explained why they were going to the mall. "The shopping district is a great place to shop, but it's good to get out of the neighborhood every now and then. The mall is a little out of our way, but it's good to get out among other humans, I guess." said Lil, as she stopped at a stop light. "When we get there, I have some errands to run inside. Wheaters, you and Angie are on your own until I get done. Can I trust you to stay out of trouble until I'm done?" she asked, as the light turned green.

Wheatley nodded and tried to enjoy the drive. He didn't like it when Lil was mad, so he tried to make things right. "Miss Lil, if you don't want me wearing this jacket...I can take it off…" he mumbled. Lil looked at him and then looked back at the road.

"No, it's alright…" Lil sighed and tried to concentrate on the road. "You didn't know…that jacket was the jacket he wore the night he died…"

A weird silence drifted through the car. Wheatley's eyes widened and he looked down at the coat. "Oh yeah…" said Angie, leaning forward from the backseat. "I remember he took that jacket with him the night he got in that accident…" It took everything Wheatley had to not scream out of freight. He heard GLaDOS laughing loudly in the back of his head. "I don't remember him wearing it though…" That did little to comfort Wheatley, who hastily pulled the coat off.

Finally arriving at the mall, Lil parked the car and helped Angie get out. Wheatley just stared at the big building in front of him. "It's bigger than the facility…" he muttered softly. He adjusted his glasses a bit and looked at it up and down.

_"Please, I bet it doesn't even have an incinerator."_ said GLaDOS, in a somewhat jealous tone.

"Alright, rules…" said Lil, grabbing her purse from the driver's seat floor. "No talking to strangers, no playing clothing rack hide-and-seek, and stay out of the dressing rooms unless you're trying something on." Lil led the two into the mall, which looked like a windowed fortress. The inside was more impressive than the outside, and Wheatley could see the endless possibilities. Lil liked to enter through the food court entrance so she didn't have to try too hard to remember which parking lot she parked in. "Alright, we'll meet back here in the food court in one hour. Stay out of trouble."

With that, Lil left the two standing by the mall directory. "What kind of errand does Miss Lil need to run today, Tiny Human?" asked Wheatley, looking down at Angie.

"I'm not sure. I think she is just doing some clothes shopping, probably for some new jeans. She does that around this time of year. It depresses her because she doesn't like to admit she's got a big butt." said Angie, as she took Wheatley's hand.

Wheatley blushed thinking about Lil's behind. Admittedly, he sometimes snuck glances when she wasn't looking, but he reasoned it was for science (his own personal science, anyway). Wheatley believed Lil's behind wasn't as big as Angie liked to embellish it, but Wheatley would be lying he said he didn't like the way Lil's hips and behind filled out her jeans. If asked, Wheatley would have described Lil's figure as something of an hourglass shape, if not a little fuller. He figured human society would label her as "fat", but he wouldn't.

"Let's not think about bad things, Mr. Wheatley! We have a whole mall of interesting things to do! What do you want to do first?" she asked cheerfully as Wheatley regained his composure.

"Well, I was thinking about getting some of my own clothing. Not that I don't appreciate the clothes you and Miss Lil gave me…" said Wheatley, as he and Angie looked at the mall directory. "Do you think we can find a clothing store here?"

Angie giggled and pointed to the directory. "It's a mall, Mr. Wheatley! It's almost all clothing stores. The question should be which one is the one for you." Angie tugged on his hand and he followed. "Lil told me once that buying clothes should depend on three things: style, size, and cost."

"Style size and cost…got it." said Wheatley, nodding confidently. "What do you think she means by that, Tiny Human?" Wheatley gazed down at Angie as they walked.

In a matter-of-fact way, Angie smiled and put her finger in the air. "Style I think means whether or not the clothes look good. Lil says everyone has a different style. Just because one person's look is good doesn't mean it's the look for you. Size means whether or not it fits. Clothes that are too big or too small look bad and can get uncomfortable. Cost means…well, cost. Is it on sale or is it too expensive or is it just right?"

Wheatley nodded and followed Angie. _"Cost shouldn't be a problem, considering you never spend your money. Style and size might be though."_ said GLaDOS. _"You're unusually tall, for one thing, and you're wearing a dead man's clothes. People already stare at you enough as it is, so try your best to blend in."_

"I think it might be best to buy some essentials." said Angie, sounding like Lil. "You need warm clothes for the colder seasons like long sleeve shirts, boots, warm socks and a coat. I know a place near where Lil buys my clothes that you might like." With that, Angie tugged on Wheatley's arm and they ran down the wide corridors of the mall. According to the directory, they were in the north wing. Angie happily ran past the children's clothing store and pointed to a store next to it. "A lot of people come out of this place." She said, happily.

The store had a dark overtone and a lot of teenagers and young adults walked around inside. Most of them had on very dark clothing, multiple piercings, and dark make-up. Angie looked slightly amused at the store. "Lil told me she used to shop here at lot when she was still in school. Mom didn't like it, so Dad usually took her shopping." Angie pressed her face against the shop window and smiled. "It's like Halloween all year!" she shouted happily as she pulled Wheatley into the store.

It became obvious to both of them that the pants there wouldn't fit him after trying on every size they had there. Some were too tight, some were too short, and some had chains on them that were just uncomfortable. Angie stood outside the dressing room against the wall. "Mr. Wheatley?" she shouted, knocking on the door softly.

"Do I have to?" he whimpered softly through the door.

Angie folded her arms and tapped her foot, something Lil had done to her many times in similar situations. "Come on, Mr. Wheatley! It's not so-"

Wheatley left the dressing room wearing a shirt with fishnet sleeves, spike bracelets, and boots with numerous buckles on them. Angie started laughing hard as Wheatley walked around. "I look like I fell out of one of the horror movies Miss Lil watched the other night." Wheatley looked over at the mostly female staff of the store looking at him and giggling. "Maybe this isn't the style for me, Tiny Human." He whispered, as he walked back into the dressing room.

After a few minutes, Wheatley and Angie left with a small bag. He may not have liked the clothing there, but there was a hat with a green dog on it that he liked a lot. "Well, that place is more for older kids anyway. Lil avoids it at all costs."

"Probably for the best; the clothing in there was pretty pricey." said Wheatley, as Angie took his hand.

"_You looked even stupider in those clothes anyway. Clothing like that requires too much maintenance. You'd have to put holes in your ears, draw on your arm, make your hair an odd color. Too much work."_ said GLaDOS, as if she wasn't actually paying attention. Wheatley had a feeling GLaDOS was preoccupied with something unpleasant, but tried to ignore the thought as they arrived at another store.

"This is the store Lil shops at. It's for ladies only so you won't find anything in there. The guys inside look bored anyway." Wheatley looked at the mannequins in the window. They were a bit bigger than the other mannequins he had seen in other stores, but still pretty. Lil has slightly bigger too, but Wheatley believed she was beautiful. Of course, he remembered he didn't have much experience with women as far as he knew. He did know that there is a certain time of month that Miss Lil doesn't want to be bothered and he learned that the hard way (the flyswatter shaped bruise on his behind was testament to that).

After a little while, Wheatley and Angie found another store. It was a big store, with large pictures of young people in poses. "Miss May from the café next door shops here at lot. She says the guys who shop here are cute and no one is cuter than you, Mr. Wheatley!" said Angie, excitedly. Wheatley smiled and walked into the store with her. They immediately left only a few minutes later.

"Those clothes are worse than the last store!" shouted Wheatley, softly tugging Angie along. "The style on everything was bland and the prices were outrageous! Who's ever heard of forty-five dollars for one shirt? And it was torn up! I could do that for free with the clothes you and Miss Lil gave me."

Angie just stared at Wheatley, not sure of where all this was coming from. Wheatley felt the back of his head pound and decided to lean against a wall. "Okay, let's try somewhere else. Tell me if anything catches your eye." She said, as she grabbed his hand again. Nothing really caught Wheatley's eye. Everything looked mostly the same as far as he was concerned. He could feel Angie's tugging getting stronger, as if she was as determined as he was.

Eventually, they came to another store. "This place has been around for a while. Lil doesn't like it because the mannequins scare her." Angie led Wheatley inside with high hopes. He looked around. This place seemed normal enough. Wheatley avoided the overly helpful female staff and just looked around on his own. The clothing was pretty normal, nothing too outrageous or standoffish and some even happened to be on sale. Wheatley looked over from a rack of jeans and saw a stack of shirts coming at him.

Before he could recoil in fear, He heard Angie's voice. "I found some shirts you might like, Mr. Wheatley!" she said, happily. Wheatley took those along with some jeans he picked out and made his way to the dressing room. He watched the female staff swoon over him. It was starting to get scary.

From his pile, Wheatley grabbed a blue button down short and stared at it. He sat down on the chair in the dressing room and tried to focus.

_Everything had to be perfect, right down to the outfit he was going to wear. Wheatley was sparing no expense on his one year anniversary. Getting off early from work was working out pretty well for him. He spent the entire day with Pam and now they were running errands at the mall. He decided it was time to freshen up for the big day while she was at another store returning an outfit. Being unusually tall meant his options for clothing were limited, but the big and tall store seemed happy to help him each time he came in._

_The suit was simple. Black slacks, black coat and a blue button down shirt. He wasn't sure why, but he had always liked blue. The suit was perfect and reasonably priced. After buying it, he started to make his way toward the food court where he and Pam agreed to meet up. He was almost there when he heard a ringing noise in his pocket. It almost scared him half to death. He reached into his pocket and flipped open his cell phone. It was from Harvey. "'Ello?" he answered, as he made his way through the mall._

"_Pendleton! Where are you?" shouted Harvey. _

"_I'm running errands with Pam. What's wrong, mate?" Wheatley could hear the concern in Harvey's voice. Harvey was breathing hard, as if he had something important to say. "Well, out with it, man!"_

"_I just spoke to our Instructor to see if he was going to come in tomorrow, and he told me he already looked over your program. He told me to tell the others not to bother with theirs, that Mr. Johnson himself saw your program executed on another core and liked what he saw!" Harvey sounded happy at not having to work on the program. Wheatley knew he was going to hear it from Smith tomorrow. What struck him as strange was that Mr. Johnson was pretty much bedridden at this point. Wheatley felt honored that Mr. Johnson, the head of Aperture Science, would actually take time to see his program at work._

_Wheatley smiled and felt somewhat pleased. "Mr. Johnson saw my work? I was under the impression that he was pretty much a vegetable and that Miss Caroline was running things." said Wheatley, as he sat down in the food court. _

"_Well, that's somewhat true. Those nanobot things that the engineers worked on are being pumped into him. I'm not sure why, but I think he hopes the nanobots will fix him up. The engineers say it's only delaying the inevitable. But look, the point is whatever Mr. Johnson has planned is happening because of you! Our instructor said you pretty much have a job there now!"_

_Feeling somewhat accomplished, Wheatley thanked Harvey profusely and hung up. Everything was going perfectly. Wheatley was finally getting the recognition he worked so hard for, and in just a few days, he was going to ask for Pam's hand in marriage. He had no doubts that she would say yes, due to all the hints of marriage she was laying around their apartment (bridal magazines, calls from Pam's mother insisting that Wheatley and Pam "Stop living in sin" whatever that meant, and of course Pam making vanilla cake the other night)._

_It was all going to be worth it soon: the crappy internship, the unpleasant man-to-man talk with Pam's father, the small apartment, and Pam's struggle with her illness. Wheatley couldn't be happier. Well, he became much happier when Pam walked up to him holding a tray of food. "I had a feeling I'd find you over here." She said happily, as she sat down. Pam looked down at the bag Wheatley had set in the chair next to him._

"_You bought a suit? What for?" she asked, as she opened the container with her salad in it. The doctors told her to stay away from processed foods. _

"_Well, aside from our one year anniversary being this coming up Saturday…" said Wheatley, slyly. Pam's eyes widened and she giggled. _

"_Oh, it is, isn't it?" she giggled. _

"_You forgot, didn't you? And you yell at me when I forget to throw my clothes in the laundry basket." laughed Wheatley, picking up and unwrapping his sandwich._

"_Well, things have been pretty exciting lately. As I recall, things got pretty exciting about a few weeks ago when you came home from work and just grabbed me and…" Pam looked at Wheatley who was blushing deep red. _

"_Well, I had a good day at work and wanted to keep it going…that and you look like you just wanted to be ravished with that outfit you were wearing." he said, trying to eat his sandwich. _

_Pam giggled and stirred her salad around. "I was wearing a beat up old t-shirt and I had been cleaning all day. I smelled like bleach and soap!" she said excitedly._

"_You look ravishing in anything, Pam." Wheatley reassured. "Don't worry, love, I have a lot of excitement planned for Saturday." _

_Wheatley didn't notice the worried expression on Pam's face as he ate his lunch. She looked like she had something she wanted to tell him, but she just ate her lunch. The doctors warned her and it was probably her own fault for not being better prepared for Wheatley's libido, but she smiled anyway and ate slowly._

_She had something big planned for Wheatley as well…_

"Mr. Wheatley!" shouted Angie, as she pounded on his dressing room door.

Wheatley snapped out of his flashback and looked at the clothes he had. "Umm…yes, Tiny Human?" he asked, through the door.

"Do you like the clothes or not? We have to meet Lil soon!" she shouted.

Wheatley must have been unconsciously trying on the clothes, because he didn't remember putting his current shirt on. "Just about done. A bit longer…" he shouted, looking over the clothes.

Wheatley seemed happy with his new purchases. The sales lady at the front desk looked happy too. Angie helped him carry his new purchases toward the food court. Wheatley was trying to make heads-or-tails of what these flashbacks were trying to tell him. He remembered GLaDOS telling him about her quick-save feature, but it sounded more like a curse than a good thing. Maybe the human body had a type of quick-save feature. He'd have to ask GLaDOS about it later.

"Ever had a big pretzel, Mr. Wheatley?" asked Angie, as they made their way to the food court.

"No, is it like those little pretzels Miss Lil buys in those bags?" he asked as they got in line.

Angie giggled and shook her head softly. "Not really. These are big and soft and some have cheese in them!"

That sounded very appetizing to Wheatley, who licked his lips and ordered two. The pair sat happily eating their pretzels as Lil walked up to them. "Well, I'm done." She said, happily, setting a few bags down. Lil looked over and saw the bags that Wheatley had near his feet. "What is all this?" she asked, placing her bags down.

"Well, Tiny Human and I believed it was high time I bought my own clothes. Not that I don't appreciate the ones you gave me…" Wheatley struggled to speak, but Lil just smiled and sat down.

"Did you get one for me?" she asked, pointing to Wheatley's pretzel. Wheatley knew he had forgotten something. He happily shared his pretzel with Lil after he playfully put the green dog hat on her head.

_That Evening_

Angie and Lil helped Wheatley put his new clothes away in his drawers and the closet he had just found out about. "Well, what did you think this door went to?" asked Lil, sliding the closet door open. "I figured whoever designed this flat made a mistake and it was part of the wall." Wheatley reasoned, as Lil hung some of his new clothes on hangers.

"Well, I'm glad you followed the advice I give Angie about clothes. They look nice, they obviously fit you, and from the tags, they weren't a bad price." Lil carefully cut the tags off of each garment and hung them up. "Well, I'm glad you finally used some of the money I've been paying you."

Wheatley had set the jacket he wore earlier on the bed as he folded up some shirts for Angie to put away. As he got up, the folded piece of paper fell out of the pocket. "What's that?" asked Angie, as Wheatley picked it up.

"I don't know, it was in my coat pocket but I figured it was a wrapper or something." said Wheatley, sitting down on the bed. Lil gently took it and unfolded it. Wheatley didn't see her smile wide. He did, however get a sense that something was coming.

Lil handed Wheatley the picture and smiled. "Do you know what this is, Wheatley?" Lil asked excitedly. Wheatley shrugged as Lil fawned over the picture. "It's a picture of our last family vacation before Mom and Dad died! He must have kept it on him at all times. Dad was so corny but a total sweety!"

A knock came at the door as Wheatley was about to look over the picture. Lil had gotten up and left the room to see to the door as Wheatley pondered the picture. He put down the picture without even looking at it when he heard the front door open. He heard other odd noises that usually didn't coincide with meeting familiar people at the door.

Wheatley heard Lil squeal with delight and run to him happily as he left his bedroom. Lil was holding a bouquet of roses. "Oh Wheatley! They're beautiful!" she kissed his cheek and put the big bouquet down on the kitchen counter. Wheatley didn't know what she was talking about and pondered this as Lil rummaged through the cabinet above the stove for a spare vase. Lil, after putting the bouquet in the glass vase full of water, took the card from one of the flowers and read it.

"'To Lil, you are the sweetest woman in the world. When I saw these flowers, I instantly thought of you. Their beauty can't match your grace, your intelligence, or your kindness'..."

Wheatley watched Lil swoon over the card and flowers but didn't have the heart to tell her he had no idea where they came from. He decided to bask in Lil's undying affection, as it felt nice. "There's more!" she shouted happily. Wheatley felt a horrible feeling of dread.

"...'please give me the honor of _taking you to dinner_ tomorrow night'."

Lil smiled happily and hugged Wheatley tightly. "Oh Wheaters! Of course you can take me to dinner!" Lil released Wheatley from the hug and took the bouquet to the balcony. Wheatley's eye twitched a bit. Someone was playing Cupid and doing a better job than him.

"Mr. Wheatley, the delivery man wanted you to have this." said Angie, handing Wheatley a golden envelope. Wheatley opened the envelope and looked inside to find a letter.

_No Need to thank me, Mr. Wheatley! Just have a good time! Love, Annie from the flower shop_

Wheatley sighed softly and leaned against the kitchen counter. He watched Lil fawn over the roses on the balcony, next to the big vase of sunflowers from a little while ago. His new life was changing so fast around him. In what seemed like no time at all, he had gone from being a bumbling personality construct to a bumbling human. The resurgence of memories wasn't helping much either.

As he sat up in bed later, Wheatley stared at the ceiling and sighed. "Who were you, Wheatley Pendleton?" he asked himself softly as he listening to the sounds of the city outside his window. "Were you a happy person? What happened to you that turned you into a..." Wheatley found the thoughts too painful and decided to just try and get some sleep. He felt torn between who he was now and who he apparently used to be.

"Who am I...?"

* * *

><p><strong>N'cha you guys! <strong>

**So, I got the idea for this chapter while at my local mall. You probably already know the stores I described, but in case you didn't here's the lay down; Hot Topic, Aeropostle, and Old Navy. I used to shop at Hot Topic religiously until it got all main stream. Oh well, the Goth part of me is buried under years of maturity (or lack thereof lol). My cousin loves Aeropostle, but I hate going there each time we go shopping. And Old Navy…their mannequins scare me.**

**So, I semi-lied about the surprise. I changed the ending to this one and I deleted my latest chapter 11 because, honestly, I couldn't get the concept to work. I'm terribly sorry everyone for all the mix-ups lately. I am going to use the android concept, but they'll just stay around the facility for now. **

**What is it with me and the number 11? The almost identical thing happened with my other fic (Reaver's Servants).**

**Well, as always, review and be merry, I enjoy criticism and questions, so please don't feel bad. Please don't flame, I implore you and have a great time! Again, I want to thank everyone for their reviews and alerts; it means a lot to me. I appreciate everything you guys do for me, my story, and my self-esteem lol.**

**GLaDOS and Wheatley belong to Valve.**


	11. Dating for Morons

_Reconstructing Humanity_

Dating for Morons

Someone was playing Cupid with Wheatley. It wasn't that he didn't like Lil. If anyone asked him if he liked Lil as more than just a friend/boss/roommate, Wheatley would give a nice rambling speech about how nice Lil is, how pretty Lil is, how caring Lil is of him and Angie and what a wonderful cook Lil is until he realized he person who asked had walked away. This had happened once or twice before. Lil had made it clear, that though she was happy he "asked" her to dinner, it wasn't a date.

"A date…it isn't a date." Wheatley mumbled, as he ate his cereal the morning before the "friendly outing" as Lil was calling it. "Just a friendly outing between mates…" he mumbled, as he stuck his spoon in his mouth. He kept mumbling even as milk and cereal sloshed out of his mouth.

"_Please don't tell me you forgot how to chew again."_ snarled GLaDOS, through his implant. Wheatley popped out of his day dream and realized most of his breakfast was now on his shirt. _"You've made such good progress being a human, but not even the small child you live with needs a bib anymore."_ GLaDOS had seemed more preoccupied than usual lately, and her already paper thin patience with Wheatley was almost gone. Lately, she felt her guidance was less needed than usual, and had preoccupied herself with something bigger. What it was, she wouldn't tell Wheatley.

Wheatley was alone in the apartment today. The store was being minded over by the part-timers Lil had hired while she was out helping with the wedding she was a part of and Angie was at school. He rarely got any real time to himself, as he somewhat shared a brain with GLaDOS. "GLaDOS…" Wheatley asked, wiping his mouth.

"_Yes, stupid?"_ GLaDOS responded, with a hint of acidity in her voice.

"Miss Lil looked so excited about going to dinner with me last night but this morning she made it quite clear that us going out tonight isn't a date. What is the difference between a 'friendly outing' and a 'date'?" he asked, taking his bowl to the sink.

"_I wouldn't have much experience in either, seeing as I'm a giant computer mounted to a ceiling. But what better way to find out than to do research. Get on the computer."_ GLaDOS's answer was oddly simplistic. Usually, she would yell at him for being stupid and tell him. Wheatley sat in front of Lil's computer and stared at it. _"Turn it on…"_ GLaDOS mumbled. Wheatley chuckled softly and pressed a button on the CPU. Lil's computer was very fancy, at least by Wheatley's standards. The flat screen monitor was big and reminded him of the ones at Aperture, and the keyboard was very sensitive. Lil didn't like him going near it, because it was probably the most expensive thing in the apartment (aside from the TV, possibly).

After the computer started up, Wheatley sat back in the chair and stared at the ceiling. "Miss Lil would be angry if she saw me using this thing." He said, softly.

"Though taking her feelings into consideration is crucial to this whole 'dating' thing, her feelings toward use of the desktop apparatus should be the least of your worries right now. Human courtship is probably the most crucial stage of human interaction. I suggest you not mess this up. I tweaked around with your implant as you slept last night…the consequences for your failure won't be pleasant."

Taking the warning to heart, Wheatley turned his attention back to the computer. As if by instinct, Wheatley knew which icon to press and how to go about using a search engine. He felt a strong urge to open the program of the computer's stats and files, but fought it and continued his research. GLaDOS instructed him to type in "love between to humans". He then turned the safe search feature on after seeing some images he'll never forget (but made a mental note to think about them later…for scientific analysis, of course).

One website in particular caught GLaDOS's attention as Wheatley scrolled around. _"Wait, go back up!" _she shouted. Wheatley scrolled up a bit and saw the website. _"Stop right there! 'Welcome to dating for morons dot com, your online source for dating tips and more'? This one is perfect for you." _Wheatley rolled his eyes and clicked the page.

While Wheatley was searching the website, he heard a little pinging noise come from the speakers. He panicked, thinking he had pressed the "Release Neurotoxin" button, but was relieved to see a little icon in the toolbar with a mailbox open on it. He pondered the icon a bit. "What is that?" he asked, circling the icon with the mouse cursor.

"_She must have it set up to where it automatically logs into her account whenever you click the icon on the desktop screen. It simply means she has an e-mail."_ GLaDOS watched as Wheatley put the cursor over the icon. _"You're not going to read her private e-mails, are you? That's rude."_ GLaDOS warned. Wheatley sighed and lowered the cursor onto something else.

He kept reading, hoping to find valuable information. "Hmm…according to this, the guy should always pay for the date…"

"_Shouldn't be a problem, you still have a lot of money left. I watched you count it yesterday." _GLaDOS stated, as Wheatley scrolled.

"'Pick a nice place to eat, but be careful where you choose. Too expensive could intimidate your date, but too cheap could send the wrong message as well. Fast food, take-out, and buffets are best left for lunch.' So, a nice place…" Wheatley mused, scratching his chin. He felt the stubble accumulating on his face. "I should probably shave before tonight." Last time he shaved, Lil had to help him. It didn't end well. The same day he learned to shave, he also learned razor cuts won't itch as bad if he didn't pick at them. But he got it right the next time with only a three bloody spots.

Wheatley kept reading. "'Sometimes, the most romantic meal is one you make yourself. Show her you're sensitive side by surprising her with a home cooked meal.' Lil won't even let me use the microwave by myself; not since the popcorn incident, anyway." He sighed, as he leaned back in the chair.

"_Once again, I wish to point out that I think it's sad that she trusts the six-year-old more than you." _GLaDOS said, mockingly.

"'Whether dining in or out, be sure to have an action plan for the evening of said date. Spontaneity isn't appropriate for romantic evenings. Whether or not you go to a movie first and dinner afterward, or vice versa, is more important than you think. If the place you will be dining at requires reservations, make them accordingly. If not, get there at an appropriate time. Early enough that you won't have to wait long for a table but not too late that you are waiting a long time for your food when you are finally seated.' Wow, this stuff is gold!" Wheatley said, excitedly. "'Above all, stay cool and don't panic.'"

Lil walked into the apartment at that time, looking somewhat frazzled. She had to get her dress for the wedding refitted and wasn't too happy about it. She hung her purse on the coat stand next to the front door and sighed softly. "Orange is not my color…" she mused, as she looked around. "Hey, Wheaters, are you still here? I need to go to the store. You can come with me if you promise not to try and rescue the lobsters in the lobster tank again." She shouted, looking around for Wheatley. She walked into the living room and found him on the desktop computer.

"_Human at nine o'clock."_ said GLaDOS as Wheatley continued to scroll down the page.

"Nine o'clock? What are you talking about? It's not even lunch time…" Wheatley turned his head to look at the clock on the wall and found Lil standing next to him with her arms folded. "Miss Lil!" Wheatley shouted, hurriedly exiting out of the page.

Lil giggled softly. "I don't care if you use the computer, as long as you know how, Wheatley." She chuckled.

Wheatley tugged on the collar of his shirt. "Miss Lil, about our date…"

Lil interrupted him by holding her hand up to stop him. "Wheatley, we've been over this. It's not a date. Just a friendly outing. We've been on plenty."

"But Tiny Human won't be with us this time." He reasoned.

"Well, it is true, she'll be spending the night at a friend's house tonight, but it doesn't mean we're going on a date. We're just going out as two friends to dinner." Lil left the living room to go to her bedroom. "Just wear something casual and try not to trip over anything."

Wheatley noticed everyone was so preoccupied lately. Lil with the wedding she was a part of, Angie with children's things, and GLaDOS with who knows what. The wedding was in two weeks, and Lil had been all over the place getting things ready. She was dreading standing in front of all the people in that hideous orange dress that had to be refitted for her. She refused to wear it for Wheatley and Angie, so neither of them knew whether or not it truly looked bad.

Going through his closet, Wheatley took out different shirts and placed them on his bed. Something about this scenario felt familiar, but he didn't want to think too hard about it. "Just a friendly outing…" he kept repeating as he looked over each outfit on the bed. "Just dinner between friends…"

He heard on the weather that it was going to be chilly that evening, so he decided to wear one of his new long sleeve shirts. "You know…" Wheatley started as he pulled out another shirt. "…I've noticed lately that Miss Lil has the same eyes as Miss Lady…do you think it might be a coincidence?"

GLaDOS said nothing. Wheatley had started to think his implant was on the blink again. _"…interesting deduction you've made there. Yes, it is quite fascinating. But to be fair, Lil's eyes are a rounder shape, not as squinty as hers were." _said GLaDOS.

"Well, that is true…" muttered Wheatley, as he put on a light blue long sleeve button up.

"_Remember that picture you found last night?"_ asked GLaDOS. Wheatley nodded and went to find a decent pair of jeans. _"See if you can locate it sometime in the evening. I want to…examine it…"_

The evening rolled around quickly and Wheatley had just finished shaving. "Ah-ha! Only two nicks this time, and they didn't bleed profusely." said Wheatley, walking out of the bathroom somewhat accomplished. He heard Lil giggle and noticed she was waiting on him. Dressed in a simple black shirt and black slacks, Lil wasn't dressed for anything fancy. Wheatley thought she looked stunning no matter what she wore. "Are you ready to go, Miss Lil?" he asked, offering his arm jokingly.

"Are you wearing cologne or did you wash yourself with the bathroom cleaner again?" Lil laughed.

"Please don't even joke about that. It still itches…" murmured Wheatley, scratching a spot on his shoulder. "But yes, it is some cologne. When I bought a whole bunch of those shirts yesterday they gave it to me as a free gift." He said, happily.

"Well, it smells nice…" Lil said, with a blush. Lil grabbed her jacket and her purse from the coat stand in front of the door. Wheatley made sure he had everything (wallet, money, pants) and followed Lil out of the apartment.

Driving around still amazed Wheatley, especially at night. Lil didn't particularly like driving at night, but since the shopping district was well lit, she was more comfortable behind the wheel. "So, I did some research and found this nice little Italian place near the mall. May said her dates take her there a lot and that is where Annie's boyfriend proposed to her…" saying that last past made Lil a little sad. Wheatley knew better than to talk about weddings around Lil, unless it was the wedding she was attending, and even then he made sure not to bring up the bright orange dress she had to wear.

It was a pretty nice place and Wheatley felt somewhat under dressed, but Lil kept assuring him that it was pretty casual inside. Wheatley tried to remember everything the website had told him. After being seated, the waitress flirted with Wheatley a bit and gave them their menus. "Even here we can't get peace." He muttered softly as he opened his menu. His head started hurting as he looked around the menu at the specials and items. Something about this place seemed familiar and he focused on one dish in particular…

_Wheatley had big news for Pam, and it couldn't wait until their anniversary. He decided to take her out to dinner that night to celebrate. It was their favorite place in the entire world. The little Italian bistro near the mall that had good food and decent prices but it was also the first place he and Pam went to when they met just a year before. He wanted to save it for their anniversary, but this simply could not wait. They were seated at their usual booth and the menus were handed out as usual. It was routine, but Wheatley loved it. He had noticed Pam was acting strangely tonight, but he tried to put it behind him as they looked over the menus._

"_That new stuffed ravioli dish they were advertising on the telly looked good, I think I might try that." Wheatley murmured as he looked over the menu. _

"_We don't eat at home enough…" Pam said, softly as she sipped her water. _

"_What are you going on about? I made shepherd's pie last night and you seemed to like it." said Wheatley, looking over from his menu. Wheatley was a surprisingly good cook, despite his mother's teachings. One of the reasons his father was against Wheatley leaving was because he'd have to go back to eating his wife's cooking._

"_It was good, better than any I've ever had…but I've noticed we eat a lot of take-out and fast food and such." She murmured over her menu. _

"_Oh, are you worried your doctor will yell at you again? Just let me know if he does, and I'll put him in his place." Wheatley joked as the waitress arrived with their wine. _

"_Oh, Wheatley, you couldn't beat up my doctor…" Pam giggled. _

"_Well, I figured him being in his early sixties would give me a bit of an advantage. Of course, he'd probably call up the orderlies to back him up…" He laughed._

_Wheatley looked over and noticed Pam hadn't touched her wine. "Are you alright, Love? You haven't touched your wine." He stated, placing his menu down. _

"_I'm fine…I just don't feel like drinking tonight." Pam looked over the menu and sighed softly. _

"_Darling, is your new medication making you a bit…dodgy?" Wheatley asked, placing his hand on hers._

"_No…actually, I need to talk to you about that…" she sighed. "I want to know how you'd feel if I went off my medication…"_

_Wheatley just stared at her. He couldn't believe what she had just said. Go off her medication? That medication had performed miracles in the time she had been taking it. Pam had gone from barely being able to get out of bed to being up and about with the energy of a marathon runner. Whatever Pam wanted to do, she did it without having to worry about her health (at least not as much as she used to). She was even gaining some of her lost weight back and didn't look as sickly as she used to._

_He shook his head furiously. "No, out of the question." He said, trying not to show how angry he was. "I…I refuse to let you go through that again." His voice was cracking, which worried Pam. "Love, without that medication, you'd go back to being a bedridden mess. I…I can't stand to see you like that, again…" _

_Wheatley's voice cracked. "It hurt me so much to see you laying there day in and day out barely being able to move some days and praying each morning that when I woke up, you would too. When the doctor told us about this new medication, I felt that things couldn't get much worse. And they didn't, in fact they got much better. I know the pills are expensive and your check-ups are more frequent than one would desire and you were forced to quit your job because of it."_

_Wheatley sighed and looked out the window. "We've had to give up a lot, like the thought of having kids. Even before the doctor put you on the medication; he said it was a no-no because of how advanced your illness was." Pam sipped her water nervously and shifted her eyes a bit. "But I am willing to go through all of this with you, Pam. I feel like I have the lively, vibrant woman I fell in love with back and I told myself I'd take care of you, no matter what. And now, I'll be able to…"_

_Pam looked at him curiously. "What do you mean?" she asked softly. _

"_Remember the program I spent all night working on the other day?" he asked. Pam nodded and put her menu down. "Well, Mr. Johnson saw it in action and he wants me to present it to the board tomorrow! I got a call from Harvey while we were at the mall and he told me Mr. Johnson liked what he saw. I gave them a ring just before we came inside the restaurant and Miss Caroline wants me to present it to the Board of Directors formally. I asked her about any job prospects and she told me she was already filling out the forms and working on my file. Pam…I got the job!"_

_Looking up from her menu, Pam smiled wide. "That's wonderful, sweety." She said, as the waitress came back for their orders. _

_After they ordered and their meals arrived, Wheatley and Pam sat in relative silence. Pam usually ordered some pasta dish that Wheatley couldn't pronounce, but this time she ordered a light soup. "Has your medication been affecting your appetite again?" asked Wheatley, looking at Pam with deep concern._

_Pam shook her head. "No, I just…have a lot on my mind…" she said, softly. Wheatley touched her hand softly and smiled. _

"_I remember the first time I brought you here. It was the day I asked you to move in with me. You refused outright to move into that rat hole I called an apartment and it wasn't until I told you I had found a better place that you said yes." He laughed, watching her smile softly. "I know the place we have now isn't much, but with this job, we'll be able to afford a bigger place and maybe after a bit of saving, we can afford a house."_

_Sipping her soup softly, Pam nodded and sighed. Wheatley rubbed her hand again. "Things are looking up for us, aren't they? And Saturday is our anniversary. I have a huge surprise for you, Love."_

_Pam sipped her water and looked at Wheatley as he chopped his fork into his food. Pam rubbed her stomach as she put her spoon down. "I have quite a surprise for you, too…" _

"Hey, Wheaters, have you decided on what you want yet?" asked Lil, as Wheatley popped out of his daydream.

Wheatley looked up at Lil and the waitress waiting impatiently. "Oh, umm…I'll have the…umm…what were the specials again?" Wheatley asked, nervously.

After they ordered and their food had arrived, Lil noticed Wheatley had barely touched his plate. "It's going to get cold if you don't eat." She said, pointing with her fork. Wheatley stared down at his plate (he ordered a very familiar ravioli dish) and softly chopped into his food with his fork. "Alright, you've been silent since we ordered, what's wrong?" asked Lil, sipping her sweet tea. "I only ask because usually you won't shut up. I'm surprised you didn't talk the waitress's ear off."

"Do you believe in past lives, Miss Lil?" asked Wheatley, as he played with his food.

"I do, actually. I have a whole bunch of books on it back at the store." Lil answered. She took a bite of her chicken parmesan dish and wiped her mouth. "It's the belief that we've all, at some point, lived a different life before this one. For example: before I was Lil, I might have been some puritan women who came over on the Mayflower. Or maybe I was a brave Amazonian warrior, deep in the jungles of South America!" she said, holding up her fork in triumph.

"_Maybe she was a frumpy housewife in the 1950s that sat around and ate bon-bons all day. Looks like she does that now."_ GLaDOS mocked, through the implant. Wheatley decided not to dignify that with a response and sipped his soda softly.

Lil was halfway through her meal already when it looked like Wheatley had barely started. "Why do you ask?" Lil asked, extending her hand for her drink.

Wheatley cleared his thought and looked Lil in the eyes. "I don't want you to think I'm crazy, Miss Lil…"

"_Too late…"_ muttered GLaDOS, with a slight chuckle.

"…but lately, I've been having these…'flashbacks', I guess they are called, and I think they are depicting who I used to be. At the facility, my earliest memory was powering on and seeing a bunch of men in white coats passing me around. They asked me different questions and I did my best to respond to them. Most of the time they nodded, other times they laughed, and sometimes they'd turn off my audio functions when they were aggravated…but after that, things blurred…"

Lil listened attentively as he continued his story as she ate her meal. Wheatley had started to eat his as well. Story telling must have made him hungry, or at least calm enough to eat. "After that, I remember being put on a rail and being told to do things. Everything in between being made and being put on a management rail is all a blur…"

"_That must have been around the time they stuck you on me to "dampen" my intelligence. I probably wiped your memory while you were connected to me in an effort to get you to shut up. That's probably why you don't remember being installed on me…sorry…"_ Wheatley knew the apology was sarcasm, but in his mind he accepted GLaDOS's apology.

"Then there was the escape attempt with Miss Lady and becoming omnipotent…and then space…and here we are now." Wheatley took a bite of his food as Lil stared at him.

"Miss Lady?" Lil asked softly.

"Oh, I never told you about her, did I?" he asked, excitedly. Lil shook her head. "She was the last test subject that wasn't a vegetable in the relaxation vault I used to be in charge of. She was apparently the best, too. She and…I guess you can call her my former boss had it out and that didn't end well. Long story short, she was my best friend. She listened to me, never called me a moron, and followed me loyally. I treated her so badly…"

Lil smiled softly and finished her meal. "Was this 'Miss Lady' pretty?" she asked, trying not to sound jealous.

"Well, by human standards, I guess she was. Of course, when one has been asleep for…quite a long time, not going to lie, beauty is probably the last thing on one's mind." Wheatley ate slowly and tried not to look at Lil.

"Was she prettier than me?" asked Lil, leaning forward on her arms.

Wheatley believed this was what people often called "loaded questions" and stuffed his food into his mouth, mumbling his response.

After dinner was paid for, Lil and Wheatley went for a walk around the block towards the park. It was chilly out, and Wheatley offered his jacket to Lil. "Miss Lil, do you have that picture you found yesterday?" he asked, out of nowhere.

Lil, taken aback by the question, shook her head. "No, it's at home. I put it in the family photo album. I'll show you when we get home." She said looking around at the lights of the park. Lil pointed to a specific area of the park with a gazebo and some chairs in front of it. "That's where the wedding is taking place next weekend." She said, softly.

"Miss Lil, please don't be angry for me asking this, but why do weddings depress you? Tiny Human told me that weddings are happy occasions." Wheatley asked. Lil sighed and walked toward the gazebo with Wheatley right behind her. It was already decorated for the upcoming wedding but still looked like a few things were still left undone.

Not looking at Wheatley, Lil sighed and crossed her arms. "Last year, I met a guy named Armin when he came into my store looking for a job for the summer while his classes were out. Since our city is a big college town, I figured he'd be around for a while and it'd give me a chance to get to know him. Eventually we started dating and he told me that once he graduated, he wanted us to get married. I was so happy, that I started looking at bridal magazines and stuff like that right away. Angie tried to warn me about Armin, but stupid love struck me ignored her. Turns out, she was right."

Lil sighed softly, leaning back and staring at the big white bow on top of the gazebo. "She always was a better judge of character than I was. When items kept coming up missing in my inventory, Angie finally told me she found Armin taking stuff from the store and he threatened her not to tell anyone. I was so furious, not that he was taking things, but that he had threatened my little sister."

Lil shook her head, as if trying to get rid of the disgusted feeling thinking about the ordeal gave her. "You can threaten me all you want, but once you threaten Angie, that's when I get mad. I mean, how low is your self-esteem when you have to threaten a six-year-old to feel good about yourself? I marched down to the store to confront him and found him taking money from the register. After I beat him senseless with a copy of 'War and Peace', I called the cops and I haven't seen him since."

Wheatley placed his hand on Lil's shoulder as she fought back the tears. "I trusted him and he hurt me and my sister so badly. I had a feeling he never liked Angie, but I was hoping that would change as we grew closer, but I was wrong. Weddings just remind me of the huge mistake I almost made that could have put me and Angie in a lot of danger. I never recovered the items he took from the shop, but I didn't care as long I never had to see his ugly face again."

Lil sighed softly and walked away from the area. "Well, you can't be off getting married all together, can you, Miss Lil?" Wheatley asked, following her loyally.

"Maybe one day, if the right guy comes along…" Lil blushed with a smile as she turned to face Wheatley again. "…but right now, I'm happy with the way things are. You, Me, and Angie; it's a good life and it's never dull." Lil smiled and kept walking.

"When I was a little girl…" Lil started, as they walked along the park's garden path. "…my mom wanted me to be more girlish. I preferred to wear pants and get dirty, which my dad didn't seem to mind. Mom would sometimes get panicked if I wondered off too far without her. Of course, my mother was a strange woman." Lil stopped at a hedge shaped like a swan. It was covered in paper lanterns and lit up beautifully. "The most mundane things used to amaze her, it was like she had spent her entire youth underground or frozen in a tube. I guess that's what I like most about you, Wheatley. Your curiosity reminds me of her."

Wheatley watched Lil blush as she walked to another hedge. Wheatley was still pondering the swan hedge. "How do you think they get the bushes to make this shape? Do they grow like that?" he asked, pointing to the hedge in question. Lil laughed and placed her hand on a nearby light post.

"See? That's what I'm talking about." Lil laughed as she twirled around the light post like a ballerina. Wheatley smiled as she twirled. He liked seeing Lil happy. Lil's smile always made his chest tighten, and he hated admitting that he liked it.

Wheatley decided it was all or nothing right now. Wheatley cleared his throat. "Miss Lil, this…this was a date!" he shouted, his fists balled up with purpose. Lil just looked at him. "…and I want to take you on another very soon!" he blurted out.

Lil blinked and blushed as Wheatley came nearer to her. "Oh, Wheaters, I appreciate the sentiment, but I'm happy with the way things are now. I don't want to make things awkward." Lil looked like she had trouble admitting that. Wheatley reached to put his hand on her shoulder but he retracted it when a man dressed in black appeared out of nowhere.

The two looked at this man as he brandished a long knife and grabbed Lil. "Give me all your money and no one gets hurt!" he shouted, as Lil struggled. Wheatley reached for his wallet but something stopped him.

"_Don't be an idiot. Do as he says. I can't afford to unfreeze someone else from cryo."_ warned GLaDOS. Wheatley balled up his fists again and approached the man. He honestly had no idea what he was doing, but he was doing it.

"Take your greasy hands off her, you monstrous excuse of a human being!" Wheatley took a swing and clocked the man in the jaw. Surprised, he let Lil go and dropped his weapon. She kicked the knife just out of the man's reach and ran toward a nearby bench, where she watched.

"_I don't know what you're trying to prove. Are you trying to prove yourself to her? You're a moron."_ GLaDOS scolded, making the implant vibrate violently. _"You think you are impressing her by harming another human? It must be something primal within you. If you haven't noticed, this woman detests violence. Violence is such a barbaric way to show your affection. You've become such a savage. I don't know why I thought putting you in your former body was a good idea. I'm ashamed to call you a former machine, like me."_

"Shut up, shut up, SHUT UP!" shouted Wheatley, as he beat the mugger senseless. "I've…had…enough…of your…snide remarks…I AM NOT A MORON!" he shouted, as the man he had been beating ran away screaming. Wheatley looked at his bruised hands and stepped back. Lil ran up to him with a scared look on her face. She reached for him, in a trusting and understanding way.

"That…was amazing!" Lil shouted, hugging Wheatley tightly. "Let's go home. I think our date has had enough excitement for one lifetime."

Wheatley smiled as he dusted himself off. _"So it was a date. Looks like looking through all those naked pictures of strangers on the internet to find one reputable site actually paid off. Congrats, Moron. You have some anger issues we need to discuss later."_ GLaDOS scolded, as Wheatley walked beside Lil.

Upon returning home, Lil took out the family photo album and started going through it. She had recently added some pictures with Wheatley in them, which made him pretty happy. Most of the pictures in the album were of her and Angie. Lil pointed to different pictures and explained everything to him.

"Out of all of these, this one is my favorite." Lil giggled, pointing to the picture of her, Angie, and Wheatley goofing off in front of the bookstore. Wheatley smiled warmly as Lil turned the page.

"This one was taken around Angie's first day of school." said Lil, pointing to a picture of Angie in front of her school. She didn't look too happy in her uniform. "Angie objected to wearing a uniform at first. Something about not being able to express herself through her clothing; then accusing me of wanting to save money on clothes for her. Eventually, she warmed up to the idea of wearing a uniform."

Lil watched Wheatley chuckle as she turned the page. "Here we are at the Teacake Café the day they introduced their vegetarian menu. I think I was more excited than anyone else." Lil pointed to a picture of her, Angie, May, and everyone who worked at the café next door. Wheatley looked over the picture and smiled. Angie was the only one in the picture that didn't look happy about the broccoli salad in front of her.

With a smile, Lil pointed to a different picture just below the previous one. "Here I am after I bought the Jeep. I needed something with a little more power to it and more room. Sometimes, I have to go pick up shipments of books myself because those idiots at the company where I buy them are…well, idiots. I saw the big yellow Jeep and it was love at first sight." Lil laughed as she turned the page.

Wheatley noticed that the girls were getting younger as Lil went deeper into the album. "We're getting to some really early stuff. I hope you're ready to go back in time." Lil joked, as she flipped a few pages.

"_How could she have discovered time travel before me?"_ asked GLaDOS, as Lil turned to a certain page.

It felt like an eternity as Lil turned the page. Anticipation mounted within Wheatley. He grabbed his chest, as if he was expecting what happened next. Lil positioned the book to where both she and Wheatley could see the pictures. "Well, here they are; pictures of me and my parents. Wheatley, meet Mom and Dad…"

Wheatley glanced over the pictures and couldn't believe his eyes. GLaDOS was watching too, ignoring what was going on around the facility. _"No…it can't be…"_ GLaDOS murmured softly.

Lil picked up the picture Wheatley had found the night before and smiled. "Our last family vacation before Mom and Dad died."

The picture was of a much younger Lil and Angie with their parents. Their father was a tall fellow with black hair and a tan. He had his hand on Lil's shoulder and he sported a proud smile. Angie was being held by Lil, who sported the same big smile as her father. Next to the man was a woman…she looked so familiar. She was very slender and looked somewhat sickly, but she smiled nonetheless. She had black hair in a pony-tail and a piercing gaze. Wheatley turned over the picture (as if by instinct) and his eyes widened.

_McLain Family Vacation to Tampa, Florida! Had a blast!_

_Angie can swim now!_

_My other girls just tanned on the beach ha-ha!_

_The girls loved visiting grandma_

_In order from left to right:_

_Me (Troy), Lillian, Angela and Chell_

Chell…

That name sounded so familiar to Wheatley. Wheatley squinted his eyes and felt the back of his head hurt. GLaDOS was getting angry and it resonated through the implant. "You know, Wheaters, you remind me of both of my parents. I guess that's why I took such an immediate liking to you." Lil giggled, turning the page to reveal more pictures. "My mom loved taking pictures. When my dad got her that camera, she just went to town." Lil stood up and stretched. "It's late, Wheaters. We both have to be at the store in the morning so let's get to bed." Lil started for her bedroom but she stopped when she noticed Wheatley hadn't stopped looking at the photo album.

Something about their mother seemed so familiar…the name seemed familiar…could she be…Miss Lady?

"Miss Lil, how did your parents meet?" he asked, with the photo album on his lap.

Lil smiled and sat down. "You wouldn't believe it, but alright. It took me a long time to get the truth out of my parents, but here it is…" Lil made the motion for him to hold on one second. She went into her bedroom and took out something covered in a sheet. "I think it might be proper to bring this out when I tell the story."

Lil uncovered the object, revealing a giant cube with hearts on the sides. It looked badly burnt and also looked as if there were attempts in the past to clean it. "This was my mother's prized possession. I'm not sure what it is, but when I was a kid, she used to keep it in the living room. She claimed it spoke to her and gave her advice. Dad claimed her devotion to it was some type of Stockholm syndrome, but he let her keep it around because she'd become violently angry whenever he'd try to take it away. Suffice to say, it became a coffee table after a little while, but it always scared me. I knew she wouldn't want me to throw it out, so I keep it in my closet, covered it with this sheet."

Wheatley and Lil sat up most of the night, with Wheatley engrossed in Lil's story.

_At the Facility_

_Mission Log:_

_This new data beings everything into question, and not just the mission itself. Could over twenty years really have passed since…she left? My internal time processor must be malfunctioning again. More importantly, this resurging memories claim that the idiot was the one who designed the initial program that would one day become me. As horrifying as that is, it sadly looks like the truth. Maybe he might know what's going on with…no, he wouldn't at this point. I shall bide my time and let his memories resurface naturally. Forcing his memories to return could cause a mental breakdown and he'd be useless to me. Well, even more useless, anyway._

_Tonight, the Moron went on a "Friendly Outing" with the one called Lil. Their evening was pretty habitual, as far as human courtship rituals go. When I stated in an earlier log that Subjects Lil and Angie seemed familiar, I didn't think they were THIS familiar. Could this be true…my best friend…no…more study is needed._

_End Log_

GLaDOS saved the log and put it away deep within her servers and twirled around her room. The monitors sounded off with the screams and shouts of test subjects going about their tests. "This changes everything…" she muttered as she had the monitors go back into the ceiling. "The mission I had planned for the robots has changed…speaking of which…"

A specific monitor came down from the ceiling, showing two modified relaxation beds. The robot's upgrades were complete. All that was needed now was for their memories to be uploaded into them. That process was taking quite a long time and the nanobots were busy doing maintenance on the facility. "They wouldn't have been ready for the outside yet, anyway. I need to test them, make sure their new bodies…who am I talking to?" she mused softly, lookin at the screen.

ATLAS and P-Body lay motionless in the respective beds as lights and computers beeped all around them. Their old bodies discarded, their new bodies would help them blend in for the mission she had planned. But they weren't ready. GLaDOS still needed them around here for a while.

GLaDOS pulled up Wheatley's monitor and watched as Lil prepared to tell her story. GLaDOS liked stories. She was already coming up with the ending to the current one. She listened closely to Lil, as she began.

"My parents met over twenty-five years ago…Mom just came out of the wheat field…"

* * *

><p><strong>N'cha you guys!<strong>

**If you feel confused, please reread chapter 10. I changed the ending because I couldn't get the android concept to work this early in the story. Don't worry, they'll show up, just in a later chapter.**

**I actually debated with myself to reveal Chell being Lil and Angie's mom at this point. But everyone kept begging for it, so I decided it was appropriate. The next chapter will actually be one big flashback on how Chell came to meet her future husband and begin her new life adjusting to the world outside of Aperture. I won't take me as long, as I already have the initial premise down. So, keep a look out, Okie you guys?**

**I want to say I appreciate all your patience with me as I did a major overhaul on my last chapter and this one took so freakin' long to do. I wanted to make sure the story went smoothly and not jump out at anyone, which is why I scrapped the android idea and decided to use it later. I'll try not to do it again, I promise.**

**Once again, I appreciate all of your kind words, and it is your reviews that keep me writing. When I first started this story, I didn't think I'd get any reviews and figured I'd delete the story and leave it for another day when I had time to work on it. But the response was so overwhelming I just had to keep going. I am so grateful to you guys and from the bottom of my heart, thank you, thank you, thank you!**

**Please, my friends review and be merry.**

**GLaDOS and Wheatley belong to Valve.**


	12. Cross My Heart

_Reconstructing Humanity_

Cross My Heart

_Photographs and even a few newspaper clippings adorned the coffee table in Lil's living room. Some new, most old. Lil picked up a picture of her parents on their wedding day. "She even had the cube thing in a bow tie." She laughed, placing the picture on the cube next to the couch. "My dad tolerated it because it made her happy. He said she refused to part with it during their first few years together. I guess as she became more accustomed to living with him, her dependency of this thing slowly died down and eventually it became a side table." Lil pointed to a picture of a very young her sitting on top of the cube._

_Wheatley chuckled and out the picture down. Could this person be Miss Lady, the one he betrayed years ago? It seemed he would never get his chance to say he was sorry, but part of him hoped Lil would never know the truth._

_Lil had made coffee and the two mugs sat on the cube. Wheatley thought he heard something come from the cube, but put the idea in the back of his mind. "It took me years to finally get the real story out of my dad on how he and mom met. It wasn't until after she died that he gave me the real story." Lil sipped her coffee and sighed softly. Wheatley sat closer and listened attentively._

"_It all started in the wheat field…"_

* * *

><p><em>SLAM!<em>

_THUNK, THUNK, THUNK…_

_SQUEEK!_

_TINK-TINK _

_SLAM!_

Chell watched as the Companion Cube sat motionless on the ground in front of her after being expelled from the shed. She could hear the faint sounds of the opera she enjoyed on her way to the top from beneath her. Chell looked around with a sense of wonder. All that was left of Aperture (or at least what the world knew of it) was a shed.

She found this saddening, trying to remember it in its better days. Though her years before becoming a test subject were something of a blur, Chell knew she had bigger problems to deal with at the moment.

It was real. The sky, the sun, the field…it was all real. Touching the ground and the wheat, Chell knew it wasn't a hologram or a hallucination. It was real. She had earned it. Her freedom from the facility she had called home for years; she truly earned it. Hesitating, she grabbed a few stalks of wheat and yanked them from the ground.

Wheat…Wheatley…

Chell sighed softly and watched the wheat blow away as she let them go. She wondered what one does with freedom. Well, Chell knew she wouldn't find the answer standing there. She picked up the Companion Cube and started walking.

Despite its size, the cube was surprisingly light. She used the top of her jumpsuit to fashion a harness and carried it along the way. She trudged for a few good hours, making a path through the field. Chell looked up at the sky. She'd never seen that shade of blue before. The clouds were light and fluffy, and took weird shapes. One looked like a bunny and it made Chell giggle (or at least make giggling motions). She stopped every so often to rest, as carrying the cube was exhausting.

By the placement of the sun, it was already late afternoon, though Chell didn't know how to read the sun yet. Chell had been walking for hours and her feet were in agony. Her long-fall boots had been removed after the battle and she was barefoot. She didn't seem to mind after years of stepping on cold floors and then being shoved into boots. It felt nice to wiggle her toes and her lips made a crinkled smile as she stepped in mud. The dirt and gooey soil tickled her feet and made a pretty amusing sound. She unharnessed the Companion Cube and started stomping around in the mud until her feet were completely brown. She stopped when she heard a small sound some from the area of the cube.

Turning her head sharply, Chell found a little green frog making itself comfortable on her cube. As if she could hear the cube begging her to get it off, Chell ran to the cube and chased the frog away. The frog hopped away frantically as Chell chased after it waving her arms around. Chell walked over to her beloved cube and wiped it off with her arm. As she did this, Chell felt a drop of water hit her on the forehead. She looked up and saw a dark storm cloud overhead. The rain started softly but as Chell and her cube ran to find cover, it started getting heavy.

Finding a small wooded area, Chell and her cube watched the rain fall over the wheat field under the protection of some nearby trees. It was beautiful. Never in her life had Chell seem such a sight; nature at work. All those years inside the cold, dry facility made her weary of water (seeing as the only liquid she came into contact with most of the time was toxic waste at the bottom of the test chambers). Chell got up and walked into the downpour and stuck out her tongue. It was very refreshing and it felt natural to drink. She smiled and held her arms up, welcoming the sensation of water on her skin. It had been too long, indeed.

As if by instinct, Chell found some dry sticks and made a campfire using some dry rocks. She used the harness she fashioned for the cube as a shawl and watched as the rainy day turned into a clear night. The overcast was almost immediately gone and Chell could see the stars. She remembered the first time she saw the moon. It was just yesterday, when she was forced to take a drastic measure in order to save her own life.

Wheatley had been her guide and her friend; how could he betray her like that? She hated what she had to do. Chell had tears in her eyes as the sounds of his voice he begging her to hold onto him tighter played through her mind like a bad song. She didn't want to let him go. Chell knew it wasn't his fault that he became corrupted so fast. Chell hoped, no, she wished GLaDOS could have grabbed him too. Whatever complexes he may have had, they could work through it, as friends. Maybe GLaDOS secretly wanted Chell all to herself…no, GLaDOS wasn't that sentimental.

_Hold on to me…tighter! AHHH! GRAB ME! GRAB ME! GRAB ME! GRAB MEEEEEEeeeeee…!_

Chell held her hands over her ears, trying not to remember that horrible moment where she was forced to choose between herself and her best friend. GLaDOS made that choice for her, and Chell didn't know whether she should be thankful or angry at her for it.

Chell sat close to her fire and looked up at the stars. She wondered if Wheatley survived and if so what he was doing at the moment. Probably idling floating around with that annoying Space Core. Maybe GLaDOS couldn't think of a more befitting punishment. Chell didn't know, but she hoped for the best as she snuggled up close to her cube and drifted into sleep.

The morning was dry, like the caked on mud adorning her feet. Chell awoke to see the fire as nothing but ashes and the cube still sitting loyally by her side. She stretched her arms and legs as far as she could. It was nice to be able to stretch while sleeping instead of being scrunched up in a crawl space behind a broken panel like she often used to do at the facility. She harnessed her cube to her back once again and started walking. She needed to find food, as the grumbling noises in her stomach could no longer be ignored.

The food she used to eat at the facility was mostly packs of dehydrated food that the scientists claimed would give her the energy to complete tests. It had no flavor and most of the time it felt like she was eating drywall. It probably was, for all she knew. In one of the test chambers once, she looked up at an observation window and thought she saw a scientist eating an apple. She fought back the urge to throw her portal device at the window and jump up to steal the apple. Of course, that might have been a hallucination on her part.

When it came to Aperture, one wasn't sure what was real and what wasn't. Chell would later admit to herself that she really had no memory of coming to Aperture or even signing up for testing. While she wanted to blame the scientists, she couldn't fairly do that. Her earliest memory is walking with a man in a white coat telling her this place was her home now.

But that was then. Chell needed to find food and fast. She decided, after a few minutes of thinking, that at least one of these trees around here had to be fruit bearing. When none of the trees in her little wooded area held any fruit, Chell decided to take to the field again. Before she stepped further, Chell ripped a few pieces of wheat from the ground and tried to eat it. She immediately spit the stalks out. Obviously, they weren't ready for consumption yet, but she made a note not to eat the wheat again.

Hours had passed since Chell had left the wooded area in search of food. So far, she had only been free for a little under two days and it was agonizing. Eventually, she found a small stream that seemed to be clean. Chell put her cube down and went about washing herself. Sweat had caked onto her skin and it was starting to smell bad. She washed her skin, her hair, and even her feet. She took a few big gulps from the stream and then went about trying to wash her cube. She felt a bit sad when most of the scorch marks wouldn't come off.

As she bathed, Chell glanced down at her reflection in the water. She looked tired and her hair had a few messy streaks of gray in them. Chell actually wasn't sure how old she was, but she knew she couldn't be old enough to have gray hair. And another thing, she wasn't fat! Chell spent about a ten minutes admiring herself in her reflection.

The hunger sounds soon turned to hunger pains as Chell settled down for the night again. So far, her time as a free woman was both enlightening and agonizing. Chell pulled her jumpsuit over her shoulders as the night got colder. Her fire was small, as she didn't have much to burn. Chell looked at her cube with growing sadness and softly drifted off to sleep.

When the sun rose, Chell was awakened by the sound of chatter and the feeling of a small nut falling on her head. She shook herself awake and looked up. The tree she had made her makeshift campsite under seemed to be home to a few squirrels. She watched as the little creatures scurried about, gathering food for the upcoming cold season. Chell remembered squirrels from a few of the books she often found around the facility and she watched in child-like amazement as they ran around her, gathering food.

Food? Food! These little things knew where food could be found. She patted her cube softly, as if to tell it she'd be right back and tip-toed after the squirrels. If they didn't lead her to food, then they could be used as food, was her reasoning as she thought of ways to roast a squirrel over a fire. Hoping it didn't have to come to that, Chell followed her furry little escorts to a nearby bush, which contained very ripe and plump blueberries. Chell had never seen anything like them before and was skeptical. She picked one particularly plump berry and popped it into her mouth. She smiled her crinkled smile and started yanking berries off the bush.

Happy with her harvest, Chell brought back an arm's full of blueberries, which she immediately stuffed into her mouth in front of the cube. When Chell was full, she put the remainder of her berries in her pockets and picked up her cube. She had to keep walking. She would eventually have to find other humans…if there were any other humans…

There was that lonely feeling again. She often got it during her years of testing. Of course there were the scientists that would give her regular check-ups to make sure nothing was broken, but interaction between the test subjects was kept to a minimum. It was probably to keep them from sharing any incriminating information or to weed out spies from rival companies. The scientists, sadly, weren't much company, even as they started to disappear one by one until one day there were none at all…

Another day had passed and Chell noticed the weather was getting colder. As it turned out, putting blueberries in one's pockets wasn't the best idea, as she now had a pocket full of blueberry juice. Chell squinted as she felt the uncomfortably squishy berries in her pocket as she climbed a tree to get to a bird's nest. A nest might have eggs in it is what she reasoned in her head. She found the eggs, but she also found a very angry mother bird that wasted no time defending her home. Chell lost her footing while defending herself against the bird and fell from the tree, hitting a few branches on the way down.

Her leg was in pretty bad shape. Chell didn't know if it was broken or not but every time she tried to stand on it, she almost fell over. Chell definitely needed to find civilization soon. She knew if she didn't have her leg set properly, it would get worse. She hobbled back to the cube and leaned against it.

Chell looked up from the almost blinding pain toward the distance and saw smoke. Hoping it wasn't a hunger and dehydration induced hallucination, Chell carried her cube towards the smoke, using a stick to help her walk. By the looks of it, it was going to be a few hours walk. Chell was a stubborn woman and decided then and there she had to find the source of the smoke. She started walking.

Anthropologist and field researcher Dr. Troy McLain had his entire camp set up and his students buzzing about. He and his students were doing research in the wheat field. He took his top students on this field trip every year but never realized this year would be different. Taking soil samples and looking into microscopes had become pretty mundane to Dr. McLain. He wanted to take his students on a better field trip this year, but budgets all around the college were tight, and not just in the anthropology department where he worked.

In his time as a field researcher, Dr. McLain had seen just about everything. Ever since the remains of a civilization had been found in the wheat field years ago, he'd hoped that this year or the next would be the year he and his students found something significant. He estimated whatever used to be in this field was probably blown away like everything else in the area when the Combine invaded over a hundred years ago. Of course, that set back anthropology (and most other sciences as well) back a few hundred years.

"Someone put out that campfire. We have to get moving if we want to get any deeper into the field. It stretches for miles." Dr. McLain shouted to his students. Dr. McLain helped his students pack up their gear and started leading them into the field when he heard a shuffling noise. Placing his hand over his eyes to shade his eyes, Dr. McLain motioned for his students to stay back. Dr. McLain reached into his pack and pulled out a small rifle he kept just in case.

Thinking it was a bear, Dr. McLain held his rifle high and was about to give off a warning shot when a young woman appeared in the clearing. The group didn't know what to make of this woman. She was filthy, obviously malnourished, had an injured leg, and was carrying a cube on her back. Dr. McLain put his rifle down and slowly stepped toward the woman. "Hello, there Miss? Are you in need of assistance?" he asked, approaching her as if approaching a wild animal.

Chell blinked a few times and held out her hand. She wanted to believe it. Other humans…she wasn't the only one left. Dr. McLain slowly extended his hand as he approached her. Only their fingertips touched as Chell finally fainted from the pain in her leg. Dr. McLain rushed to Chell as his students ran off to get the emergency med kit.

_Beep…beep…beep…_

Chell woke up slowly and found herself in an unknown location wearing a hospital gown. Oh no, was she back at Aperture? Was it all a dream? She looked around the room she was in and sighed reassuringly at her cube, which made itself at home in a chair in the corner with her old clothes folded on top of it.

She heard people outside her room and laid her head back on the pillow. She wasn't at Aperture, of that she knew. The window in the room she was in had the blinds up and outside she could see a sign on the side of the building. The sign read University Medical Center. She was at a hospital.

This place seemed nothing like the medical centers at the facility (which over the years became less like a medical center and more like a room with a table and a first aid kit). For the first time in years, Chell felt absolutely and completely safe. Someone had put her in a hospital gown and her leg was bandaged and up in a harness, but she felt safe nonetheless. She had these weird tubes going in and out of her arm that felt uncomfortable when she tugged on them. Chell looked over at the table connected to her bed and picked up the clipboard on it.

_Name: Unknown Caucasian Female_

_Age: unknown; probable 20-25_

_Ailments: Injured leg, malnourishment, and extreme dehydration_

She put the clipboard down as her room door slowly opened. The man from before walked in, dressed differently and holding a soda can. Chell assumed a few days had passed. Dr. McLain cleared his throat and sat in the extra chair next to Chell's bed. He smiled and rubbed his chin. "You're awake, that's good. I stepped out for a minute to get a drink. Hospital coffee is the worst, but they have top notch vending machines." He said, as Chell looked around the room. "Don't be scared, Miss. You fainted and my team and I brought you here. You certainly spooked us, coming out of that field and falling over. But you're alright now. The doctors fixed you up nicely."

Chell pointed to her leg. "Oh, that's nothing to worry about, Miss. The doctors thought it was broken at first but turns out it's just banged up a bit. It'll hurt like Hell to walk for a while, not going to lie, but you should be up and about in a few days." The man reassured.

Chell just looked at the man. He was very handsome, at least by what she knew. He had a bit of stubble on his face, and his chin was chiseled nicely. He had black hair that was trimmed quite nicely compared to her greasy straight hair. She thought she detected hints of an accent not unlike Wheatley's, but it was watered down a bit.

"My name is Dr. Troy McLain. I'm an anthropologist. To put it simply, I study humanity. Well, it's origins and behaviors, actually. Had to put that minor in behavioral psychology to use somehow, I guess." Dr. McLain noticed that Chell was just staring at him now.

"Oh, so sorry, I tend to ramble. What's your name, Miss?" he asked, looking Chell straight in the eyes. Chell tried to speak, but she couldn't. "Ahh…the doctors did say your vocal cords might be weak. The doctors did a full examine on you, Miss. Your vocal cords are weak from what seems like years of misuse but by no means are they completely useless. With proper therapy, we can have you singing opera." He laughed. Chell smiled, and made laughing gestures. "Well, that's metaphorically speaking, of course."

Dr. McLain reached into his bag and pulled out a pen and paper. "Can you write?" he asked, softly. Chell picked up the pen and after a few awkward scribbles, spelled her name. "Chell…" Dr. McLain read as Chell spelled her name on the paper. "It's a right lovely name, Miss. Much better than 'Unknown Caucasian Female' that's for sure." He chuckled. He attempted to ask her more questions, but her answers didn't seem to make any sense. When he asked her "Where did you come from?" she looked too scared to write it down. With a little persuasion, Dr. McLain finally got her to write it down.

_...Aperture…_

Dr. McLain looked confused. "Aperture? As in Aperture Science Labs? That place has been defunct and out of business…for over a hundred years!" Dr. McLain announced, but not loud enough for the people in the hallway to hear. Chell pointed to her clothing on top of the cube. Dr. McLain walked over to the cube and unfolded the tank top. On the front was the company's logo. "So the rumors…" he whispered, folding the shirt back up. He cleared his throat and started putting her clothes in a brown paper bag. "Well, Miss Chell…I've got some pretty good news for you. Since you've obviously have nowhere to go, the hospital and the local authorities have granted me permission to take you home with me."

Chell looked confused. "I should probably explain. Miss Chell, they want to send you to something of a, shall we call it, a 'rest home'. It's not a nice as it sounds, trust me. Made the mistake of sending my poor father to one before he died. I think you can be rehabilitated and I aim to do so, if you don't mind being my willing lab rat for a bit of human understanding research."

Chell looked panicked. "No, no…don't panic, Miss Chell. I promise I won't put you through anything horrible…like I'm sure they did at that place you came from. I promise…cross my heart." Dr. McLain placed Chell's hand on his chest, indicating his heart. Chell could feel it beating softly in tune to her own already nervous heart. She blushed softly and pointed to it.

"Yes, my heart…cross my heart." He said, with a smile.

A Few Days Later

Dr. McLain was warned by the doctors that Chell's therapy would be extensive (and expensive), but he waved the warnings away. He was going to study her and help her reintegrate herself back into society. The doctors weren't sure what to make of Chell, and had tried to convince Dr. McLain to send her to a mental health center, where she could be studied. Of course, that idea fell on deaf ears. Dr. McLain refused to watch this poor woman become some kind of side show attraction.

Having brought her a change of clothes, Dr. McLain left the hospital with Chell as soon as doctors deemed her healthy again. She was immediately taken aback by the newspaper reporters waiting outside the hospital, wanting to get a glimpse at "the Lady of the Wheat Field". Dr. McLain, who still had no idea how the reporters found out about Chell, saw the panicked expression of Chell's face and shooed everyone away as they made their way to his car. With her cube strapped into a seatbelt in the back seat, Dr. McLain helped Chell buckle herself in and they took off.

On the dashboard, Chell found a newspaper dated that morning. She softly picked it up and read the headlining story as Dr. McLain stopped at a red light. The story and picture on the front page were of her when she was unconscious. It told her that Dr. McLain (the man that would be taking care of her now) and his class had found her wandering the wheat field with a giant cube and had taken her to the hospital when she didn't respond to the CPR that Dr. McLain had administered. No one was sure where she had come from. Chell shook her head and wondered why people didn't just read her shirt.

Dr. McLain took the newspaper from her gently and threw it in the backseat, where it landed on Chell's Companion Cube. "Don't worry yourself about those reporters. I made sure they got your good side." Dr. McLain joked as the light turned green.

Chell looked around the city in amazement. She had never seen anything like this place. It was massive; the buildings were tall, but what amazed Chell the most was that it was all outside, in the open and not hidden away like the facility was. The sky was literally the limit. What could the future hold for her and her cube? After a few turns and a few red lights, she and Dr. McLain finally made it to his neighborhood.

The sign outside the fence said: "College Housing Community. Students and Staff Only! All guests please sign in at guard hut". Chell pointed to the sign as Dr. McLain showed his I.D. to the guard at the gate. "Oh, you needn't worry about that, Miss Chell. You live here now." He assured, as he continued driving. While not dorms, the neighborhood was made of apartment buildings and townhouses. Dr. McLain pulled up to a townhouse apartment and showed Chell inside. "Here we are, Miss Chell; home sweet home."

Chell carried her cube inside and looked around. It was a nice place, considering she had woken up well over a hundred years in the future in an extended relaxation room. Dr. McLain led Chell upstairs and opened the first door on the right. "Here is where you'll be staying, Miss Chell. I was using it as my office, but I think it'll be put to better use as a bedroom."

The room was plain, with white walls, a small desk pushed against the wall, a small bed and a chair in the corner. It had a dresser on the far side under the window, which had the ugly green curtains pulled. "Don't worry; I already moved my things out of here, so it's all yours." Dr. McLain reassured. "I'm going to make us some food. You get settled in."

As the door shut softly, Chell stood there, examining her new room. Dr. McLain took the liberty of acquiring some clothing for Chell and had it already in the dresser. Most of the old clothing used to belong to his sister, but Chell wouldn't know that until later. Chell put her cube lovingly next to the bed and sat down on said bed. The mattress was bouncy. There was a shelf near the closet that had nothing on it. It was built into the wall, so she assumed Dr. McLain used to keep books on it. Chell wasn't sure what to make of everything so far. Just a few days ago, she was eating berries and fighting off birds. Now, she was clean and sitting on a bed in her new home.

Chell walked downstairs after a while to explore more of the home. Upon reaching the kitchen, Chell looked amazed at the food on the table. "Ahh, I hope you're feeling hungry, Miss Chell." said Dr. McLain, happily. After days of only consuming what was pumped into her veins through an I.V., Chell was very hungry. "I kind of lied about cooking, I'm not the best cook." Dr. McLain laughed, as he placed the take-out items on plates.

"I'm not sure when the last time you ate solid foods was, so I didn't want to overwhelm your stomach. I got you some rice and beef. If you're feeling daring, you can have anything else I put on this table." He said, happily as Chell sat down. He poured her some water and watched her look over the food on the table.

Dr. McLain watched as Chell shoveled everything she could into her mouth. He smiled nervously and ate his dinner slowly. Chell had obviously never eaten this kind of food before, but she was obviously hungry. "So down, Miss Chell, or you'll get a nasty stomachache." Dr. McLain laughed, as he sipped his drink. He wasn't lying, as Chell doubled over holding her stomach. He tried not to laugh but couldn't help it. Chell soon found herself laughing as well (well, making laughing motions with little bits of wheezing air coming out).

"I ordered a little something extra, I hope you don't mind. The doctors couldn't determine your birthday, so I decided to make today your birthday." said Dr. McLain, as he reached into his refrigerator. Chell's eyes grew as big as her smile when Dr. McLain brought out a big black forest cake with a single candle in it. For years, she was promised cake and now it was right in front of her. He cut a slice for her and a slice for him. He got up to get the milk from the refrigerator but looked on in surprise as he turned around to find Chell digging into the entire cake. Dr. McLain laughed softly. "Well, happy birthday…" he chuckled, pouring Chell some milk.

That night, after she cleaned up, Chell took a slice of cake up to her room. She made sure the candle didn't go out as she presented the cake to her cube. She patted the cube on one of its hearts and sighed softly. She then took her index finger and made a crossing motion on the heart.

The next few weeks were marked with triumph and defeat for Chell. Her rehabilitation was both comical and frustrating for Dr. McLain. Sometimes, she seemed to get the hang of things easily, while other times even the simplest task seemed to take all day. In her time with him, Chell rarely left the apartment unless it was with Dr. McLain. The world outside scared her and no matter where they went, the Companion Cube had to go with them or Chell would refuse to leave the house.

Little occurrences seemed to stay with Chell rather than the big accomplishments. She noted (in a journal she kept for practicing her handwriting) that these little occurrences often lead to big accomplishments. One occurrence in particular came after a few months in Dr. McLain's care, and Chell was reading a magazine that Dr. McLain had gotten her while they were at the super market.

She was alone in the apartment today. Dr. McLain had gone back to work at the college as soon as he was sure Chell would be alright by herself, though he had the neighbor kid come in and check on her every so often. Chell didn't like the neighbor kid, but he never usually stayed for long so Chell put up with him.

Chell showed the cube the articles in the magazine, as if reading to it. Then a picture caught her eye. The picture contained a woman in a yellow sundress. It was a simple dress, and the girl's hair was done up in a certain way. The article title was: "How to Look Positively STUNNING for your Man". Chell put the magazine down for a moment and thought.

Was Dr. McLain her "man"? She lived with him and he had helped her relearn almost everything, but it never went farther than a friendship. She wondered how Dr. McLain felt about her and looked at the article again.

Chell took her cube upstairs to her room and started going through her drawers. In the time she had been living with Dr. McLain, Chell's room went from a desolate blank room to Chell's personal art studio. She had drawn on the walls, posted posters and pictures of things she found in books and magazines, her accomplishments in therapy and things she just plain found interesting (flowers, rocks, etc.).

With the magazine on the cube, Chell threw her clothes all over the place looking for something specific. She found a yellow dress at the bottom of one of the drawers. It wasn't exactly like the dress in the magazine but it was pretty like it. It was shorter, too. Chell liked wearing dresses. For years, she wore pants and jumpsuits; feeling girly was nice. She put the dress on and spun around. It was fun and it made her giggle.

When Dr. McLain got home, he was surprised to see Chell. Not by the way she dressed, but how funny she looked. Dr. McLain tried not to laugh at how funny Chell looked with her hair done up in numerous rubber bands and her makeshift make-up job. He took her upstairs and helped her get washed up. She later wrote down she liked how nice being in a dress felt. The next day, Dr. McLain took Chell to the mall and bought her a wide selection of dresses and skirts.

These dresses were simple sun dresses that Chell liked wearing. Years of wearing that ugly orange jumpsuit made her weary of pants. Chell liked looking feminine. Dr. McLain was starting to like having Chell around. She brought a little sunshine into his otherwise boring home life.

A few more months had passed and Chell was making excellent progress with her therapy. Dr. McLain let her leave the house more often, though it was usually never past the convenience store down the road and most of the time it was usually with him. He had been helping her with her speech, but could form her own sentences. She usually just repeated everything on the little cards she was given to rehearse. But other than the flash cards, Chell never really talked. Dr. McLain was a patient man and told her to talk whenever she was ready, but not to hold back, as she had a beautiful voice.

"C…cat…d…dog…" wasn't exactly poetry, but Dr. McLain would sit and listen to her for hours. Having her around made his otherwise lonely life tolerable. They had their ups and downs, like when Chell refused to leave her room when Dr. McLain took the cube away or when she found Dr. McLain smoking after a particularly frustrating therapy session.

Dr. McLain didn't realize how much getting used to having a woman around would be. To him, Chell was like a pre-pubescent teenager just learning about her body. Dr. McLain was starting to wonder about to horrible things they did to her at Aperture. This came about after he awkwardly read the instructions of how to insert a tampon from the other side of Chell's closed bathroom door.

The townhouse had two bathrooms, but on one particular night, Chell's wasn't working properly. It never worked right. The water knobs were opposite (cold was hot, hot was cold) and sometimes the shower head didn't want to work at all. Tonight was one of those nights.

She didn't think Dr. McLain was home, so she picked up her towel and decided to use his while he was out. Chell undressed and got into his shower. Chell didn't usually take long showers, so she just washed her hair and her skin. Dr. McLain didn't have as much in his bathroom like she did. His sink counter had soap, a razor, shaving cream, a toothbrush, and toothpaste. Chell had a lot more. She couldn't live without her face wash, or at least that's what she wrote down when Dr. McLain complained about getting a pimple from eating too much chocolate.

She didn't hear Dr. McLain's bedroom door open as she turned off the faucet. She also didn't hear Dr. McLain murmur about sweating so badly and needing a shower. Dr. McLain never undressed in the bathroom because he knew he'd leave his clothes on the floor and forget them, so he always undressed in his room. He opened his bathroom door just as Chell was drying herself off.

The two of them stood there and stared at each other for a good long while. The steam of the hot shower clouded the room but there they both stood, wide-eyed and in all their glory. Chell's body turned red, as did Dr. McLain's. After about a minute or so, Chell ran from his room holding her towel tightly around her body, embarrassed.

When Dr. McLain put a towel on and ran after her, he found that she had locked herself in her room. He pleaded for her to open up so they could talk about it, but she didn't budge. She just sat in her room and hugged her cube as she cried silent, embarrassed tears. The next day, Chell's shower was fixed.

Dr. McLain couldn't deny anymore that he was attracted to Chell. He was a man and she was a woman. It was only natural. But he felt it was more than that. He and Chell worked passed the awkwardness of seeing each other naked and went back to work on her rehabilitation. For months, going on a year now, Dr. McLain and Chell shared this home and he'd watch as she wrote down what she wanted to ask or any observations she made. He wanted her to speak to him, and not just the rehearsed flash cards.

He would tell Chell of his day, and she would listen attentively. He watched as she would get a jealous look on her face whenever he talked about pretty women he had seen around the college campus, and he'd laugh as they ate whatever it was that Dr. McLain brought home for dinner.

Chell didn't mind pizza or hamburgers or whatever it was that Dr. McLain brought home from the plaza that was located "conveniently" across the street from the regular dormitories, but often felt it lacked that special something only a home cooked meal could give.

While going through some of the books he gave her to read, Chell found a cook book and the ideas started turning in her head. The one night Dr. McLain came home to her cooking something. He was scared she would burn down their home, but was surprised to see something edible before him. He decided to let her do the cooking from now on. Chell was happy doing ordinary things like cleaning and cooking. Ordinary was what she liked nowadays, especially after almost a lifetime of doing extraordinary things in the name of science.

In the course of little under a year, Chell had gone from a silent hermit in her room to a vibrant outgoing woman. Dr. McLain couldn't have been happier with the progress she had made. She still had a child-like wonder to everything and would still pick up things on their walks. He noticed she was becoming less dependent on her cube, though she still preferred to keep it close whenever they could. Dr. McLain knew admitting he had feelings for Chell could put everything into question and hurt any other chances of her rehabilitation. So, he kept these feelings to himself.

One day, Chell wrote something down and handed it to Dr. McLain. He unfolded it and read it. "Tell me about yourself…" he read, as Chell sat across from him at the kitchen table.

Dr. McLain happily obliged and told Chell of being born in Australia and coming to live in the states as a young boy, his childhood in Florida, his pretty ordinary upbringing, and his rocky first marriage. Chell looked at him inquisitively and wrote down: "You never told me you were married before."

Dr. McLain laughed softly and sat back in his chair. "Yeah, it wasn't a long marriage. Right out of high school, I married this woman and for the first little while it was alright. But things just started getting to her. For example, the way I poured my milk into my coffee would just drive her insane. Eventually, we both had enough and we called it quits. I don't have to pay alimony anymore since she remarried, but it's a shame."

Chell wrote down something else. "'Do you ever get lonely?' Oh, all the time. But I'd rather be lonely than unhappy. I mean, you have your cube, so you're always happy. I'm fine just the way I am." Dr. McLain sounded like he was trying to convince himself.

He watched Chell write down something else. "'The cube can't hug me or show me the things you have.' Ahh, that's sweet of you, Chell." Dr. McLain chuckled. He watched her write down something else and he smiled as he read it. "Ahh, it has been almost a year since you came here, hasn't it?" Dr. McLain asked, happily. Chell nodded eagerly. "Well, how about we celebrate all the progress you've made? Say, a nice dinner out somewhere?" he asked.

Chell looked at him and smiled. They had only been out to dinner a few times before, and that was to help her relearn how to use utensils. "I'll get you a brand new dress and we'll make an evening of it. Sound good?" Dr. McLain asked, standing up. Chell wrote something down real quick and handed it to him.

_'__Promise?'_ it asked.

Dr. McLain smiled happily. "Cross my heart, Chell." He said, making a crossing motion over his heart with his index finger.

Chell nodded happily and followed him to the living room. "Did I ever tell you I have been thinking about starting my own business?" he asked, as they sat down on the couch. Chell shook her head. "Well, I love working at the college, but it's not the challenge it used to be. I've saved up a good chunk of money and I've been considering opening my own bookstore."

After a few days, their one year "anniversary" had arrived and Dr. McLain treated Chell to a nice evening. She had fixed up her hair properly, put on her new dress and went to a lovely dinner with Dr. McLain. Chell had written down that she had a surprise for him later, which he was happy to hear. He took her for a walk in the park after dinner and watched the nightly performers amaze the crowd. Chell clapped happily as the dancers and the jugglers pranced around, leaving Chell speechless (figuratively speaking, of course).

When they returned home, Dr. McLain put on the stereo and he and Chell danced in celebration. For someone who couldn't dance, Chell moved pretty gracefully. When the third song was over, Chell wrote down that she wanted to make a promise to him. Such a silly notion, but Dr. McLain entertained her anyway. "Alright, what promise do you want to make to me?" he asked, as Chell gave him a piece of paper. "You promise to talk to me?" he asked looking up from the paper.

Chell made the crossing motion over her heart and blushed. "…cross…my…heart…" she croaked, looking at him.

Dr. McLain hugged Chell tightly and lifted her up, swinging her around. "You did it, Chell!" he shouted happily as he placed her down. Chell smiled and looked into his eyes. It had been a long time since he had a woman in his arms and it had been never for Chell. They stared at each other for a good long while.

Dr. McLain and Chell kissed as a slow song came on the radio. It was a nice sensation, two pairs of lips touching and sharing a deep, intimate connection. As if by instinct, Dr. McLain pulled Chell closer. She didn't resist. If anything, she wanted this more than he did.

He abruptly stopped as the music kept going. "Chell, I'm so sorry…" he said, panicked. "I don't know what came over me." Chell tried to calm him down by making reassuring gestures but Dr. McLain could not be consoled. "No, it was inappropriate of me…I…" he panicked for a bit and suddenly went up to his room, leaving Chell standing in the living room alone.

Chell sat next to her cube and tried not to think about the kiss. It was the first real human thing she enjoyed feeling and it made her anxious. She knew how she felt, and obviously he felt the same way. She had gotten dressed for bed and tried to think of the best course of action. She looked at her cube, as if asking for advice.

Silence.

Chell couldn't let this moment pass. She left her room and marched right to Dr. McLain's. She knocked loudly on the door, in a demanding nature. He answered after a few more attempts.

He looked guilty and tried not to look Chell in the eyes. "Chell, look…I don't know what came over me. It's just…it's been a long time for me and I guess my animal instincts just took over…I don't want to make you feel like I was about to take advantage of your naïve nature. I respect you too much and…" he was silenced by her index finger on his lips. She then made a shushing sound and walked into his room. Her eyes spoke for her as they reached for each other and kissed as they shared an embrace.

"Chell, I can't…I…" Dr. McLain watched as Chell cuddled close to him with a smile. She didn't look like she was being forced. She was happy to be in his arms and she made it obvious that she wanted more. Of course, so did he. He gripped her tightly and smiled, rubbing her back. "Are you sure…?" he asked. Chell nodded.

Dr. McLain carried Chell to his bed after shutting his bedroom door with his foot. "Chell…I love you…" he said, as he laid her down on his bed. "…cross my heart…"

Some Time Later

The Companion Cube was the last thing Chell put into the car as Dr. McLain (Troy, as he preferred to be called) shut and locked the door. Chell wiped the sweat from her brow as she waited for Troy to finish locking up. She giggled softly watching him fumble with some boxes. The golden wedding band on her ring finger caught the sunlight and glistened as Chell waved for Troy to get a move on.

Troy and Chell were probably the happiest newlyweds in the entire city. She could speak now, but it was mostly short statements. She seat belted the cube into the back seat and waited for Troy to finish locking up. He had finally saved up enough and he and Chell were going to begin their new life as husband and wife. Troy had found a business partner and the two went to work straight away. He didn't quit his job off the bat, as he wanted to see how well the business did.

It did surprisingly well, and they even bought a bigger building for it. It had a massive upstairs storage area that Troy had converted into a nice apartment for him and Chell. He wanted to be close to the business, and what could be closer than being right on top of it.

Chell waited patiently in the car when she felt the urge to clear her throat. Upon examining her hands, she noticed a blue color to her saliva. Trying to shake the cold terror she was feeling, Chell wiped it off on the bottom of her seat as Troy made his way to the car. He climbed into the driver's seat and started up the car. "Well, ready, sweety?" he asked.

Chell nodded and looked behind her at the cube. She patted it softly then looked at her husband with a smile. "Ready when…you are…" she murmured, putting her seat belt on. Troy smiled and they finally said good-bye to the neighborhood they had both grown to love. He kissed Chell on the cheek and finally pulled out of the neighborhood. She looked back at the townhouse and sighed softly.

It took a while to get used to their new home, but eventually they settled into a nice lull. Chell stayed home most of the time and Troy went about running the business. Chell often noted in her journal that Troy was very business-minded. He ran his business very well and even started making side-investments which left the couple sitting pretty.

To keep her occupied, Troy gave her a credit card so she could run errands or do light shopping when she felt comfortable enough to leave the apartment on her own. At first, he was questioning whether or not it was a good idea, but Chell seemed to get a pretty good grasp how of credit cards actually work (or at least she agreed with him to get him to end his hour long lecture to her of how credit cards aren't an unlimited source of money). Of course, Chell wasn't one for frivolous spending.

It wasn't long before Chell noticed the apartment was a bit too big for just the two of them. Chell had voiced her concerned to Troy before, and he discussed getting her a pet. Chell insisted against it, as she was scared the cube might get jealous. Troy stepped out of the argument right there and went to make himself something to eat. He couldn't win when it came to that damn cube.

But he couldn't lie that Chell had a point. Maybe it was time to discuss having children…

A Few Years Later

Chell still had trouble talking, but Troy got her message loud and clear when he came home from work to Chell holding up a positive pregnancy test. "You're…you're pregnant?" he shouted, happily. Chell nodded and circled her index finger around her lower stomach. Troy smiled wide and picked Chell up off the ground.

Troy and Chell decided that they wanted children a few years ago, but even after trying, nothing happened. Ironically, it was the night they decided to ditch the fertility methods and the new age techniques (or voodoo mumbo-jumbo as Troy referred to it) that Chell had been studying up on and just relax that seemed to do the trick.

"We're going to have a baby!" he shouted, happily. Everything was going so well for Troy and Chell lately. Troy's business partner sold him his share of the business and now Troy had begun investing in other things. If they wanted to retire right now, they could.

But now…Chell was pregnant!

"Oh man…the guys at the college won't believe this…" he laughed, as Chell sat down.

"Troy…I'm scared…" she murmured to him, softly.

Troy looked at Chell and then looked away. "Oh man…I didn't…oh, Chell, I promise I'll be here as much as I can." said Troy, kneeling next to Chell.

"Promise…?" she asked. Troy crossed his heart and held her close.

Chell blossomed in her pregnancy. She often told Troy it felt odd being that big after being so trim for so long. Every little movement the baby made gave Chell a little tickle and made her giggle. Troy was frantic about leaving Chell at home by herself. He decided, once the final sale papers were signed, to quit the college and run the store full time. He had plenty of other investments to fall back on, but no bigger investment would be that of a child.

Troy's frantic attitude toward having a child only got worse when Chell entered her ninth month. He became most concerned when she would wake up screaming from nightmares of her time at the facility. Why they were emerging now, she couldn't say.

One night, Troy woke up and found Chell's side of the bed bare. He got up and walked toward the living room, where Chell sat with her cube. He didn't want to admit he hated that thing. "Chell, what's wrong?" he asked, as he noticed his bedroom slipper stepping in a pool of water. He looked down and then up again and noticed Chell was wearing her jacket. It was time.

Lillian was born very early on a cold autumn morning. He renamed the bookstore "Lillian's Garden Booksellers" after her when the sale was complete.

Troy couldn't be prouder of Chell, who slept soundly in her hospital bed. He held Lillian (Lil for short) close as the sun started to rise. "Little Lillian…I promise I'll always keep you safe. Cross my heart…"

The years passed by like the wind and Lil grew pretty fast. She was serious like her mother, but adventurous like her father. Lil often found herself adventuring around the apartment, climbing the dreaded couch mountains in order to get the cube cliffs, or wherever her imagination took her. As she grew, Troy taught her how to play the guitar he got her for Christmas when she was six until she eventually started playing on her own.

Lil was a very observant child, and noticed her mother's behavior around her tenth birthday was becoming strange.

One day, Lil came home from school only to find her mother collapsed on the kitchen floor. She called her father immediately. Troy knew something wasn't right and took her to the hospital. Even after they returned home, Troy and Chell decided it was best not to worry Lil. Troy didn't want to keep a secret this big from their only child, but Chell made him promise. To which, he crossed his heart.

Chell's nature became sicklier as time went on. Lil would notice her mother coughing up odd liquids every now and then but every time she asked about it, Chell would send her to her room. Lil would ask her father, but his answers were even less reliable. Lil had no choice but to sit and watch her mother slowly get worse.

Sometimes Chell was active, and sometimes she stayed in bed. It wasn't until Lil was thirteen that it all changed. She came home from school to see her parents celebrating. When she asked what was going on, Troy and Chell announced that Lil was going to be a big sister. Lil didn't know how to feel; she could only think of how badly this would affect her mother's health. She yelled at them for being careless and not even considering whom they were hurting. Lil locked herself in her room and tried not to think of her mother dying a horrible death because she and her father just had to have another child.

"How could you guys be so selfish?" Lil shouted through her bedroom door.

Chell eventually got Lil to unlock her door and had a good talk with her. She reassured Lil that nothing was going to happen to her and that she and her father will always love her no matter what. It did little to calm down Lil's tears, but just having her mother there was enough.

Lil eventually got used to the idea of being a big sister. Troy smiled with pride as Lil helped every day after school at the bookstore so he could be with Chell more during this pregnancy. Lil often joked about taking it over one day when she was old enough. Troy would laugh softly and sigh, secretly hoping she would. He was happy that Lil picked up his passion for the written word.

Nine months later, Angela (Angie) was born.

The girls became the apple of Troy's eye and he constantly fawned over his daughters and wife. Angie was always trailing after Lil. Troy had been thinking of taking the girls out of the city and buying a house in the suburbs, where their family could really grow. He placed that idea on the back burner when Chell's illness started getting worse.

Some days Chell would be alright, other days she'd be confined to the bed, coughing up bits of weird blue liquid. The doctors couldn't do anything, but Chell still made Troy promise not to tell the girls. Chell's nightmares became more frequent, and suddenly started taking a darker turn.

In her dreams, it wasn't her running the tests chambers; it was her daughters.

Obviously, this upset her to the point where she wouldn't even leave the bedroom she shared with Troy. Sometimes, her only company during the day was the Companion Cube, who lately had been used as an end table. She decided not to insult her friend anymore and took all the things off of it and wiped it down. She placed it back in her and Troy's bedroom and began talking to it.

Troy stayed by her side as the illness started to take her slowly. Chell couldn't speak anymore, her throat becoming too clogged with the weird blue liquid. Troy kissed her hand and placed it on his heart. "Chell, the moment you walked out of that wheat field, you walked into my heart. I knew…you'd somehow have a profound effect on my life. Now look…we have two beautiful girls and…"

Chell shushed him and in her own way, made him promise that he'd look after the girls.

"Cross my heart…"

Chell died not long after that, with her husband by her side. She was buried a few days later. Everyone (including the cube) was in attendance of her funeral.

Lil became the woman of the house, taking over her mother's role while her father tried to distract himself with work and his side businesses. Soon, he started selling his side businesses and other investments until all he had left was the bookstore. It was all he needed at this point. Everything else reminded him of Chell, even the girls, Lil especially. The Companion Cube was the biggest reminder of all, so he stuffed it in his closet and threw a sheet over it. He knew Chell would hate him if he threw it out (he had tried many times over the years). Troy became despondent and Lil found herself looking after most of the things around their home. She was eighteen at this point.

One stormy night, Troy decided to go for a drive. He needed to pick up a few things. Lil looked at her dad and knew when he said "pick up a few things" it meant he was going to the bar. Lil slammed her hands on the table and stared her father down. "Dad, please…don't do this. Mom would kill you if she were here!" Lil shouted.

Troy looked at his oldest daughter and sighed. "You're right…but we're out of milk. Can I at least go get that?" he chuckled softly. Lil sighed, not really sure if he was lying or not. When it came to his wife's memory, he was usually serious. Lil nodded as Troy picked his keys off the table near the door.

"Dad!" Lil shouted, as Troy was leaving. "Promise you'll be careful…and not do anything stupid…" she pleaded.

Troy smiled at his oldest daughter. "Cross my heart…" and with that, he left.

Lil would get a phone call later that night telling her that Troy was involved in a car accident when his car slid off the road and into other oncoming cars. When they told her he died instantly, Lil dropped the phone and cried. First her mother, now her father and now it was just her and Angie.

The insurance money and some of the inheritance from his businesses paid for his final expenses and left the girls sitting pretty, but money meant nothing to Lil and Angie if it meant being without their parents. Lil stood with Angie in front of their parent's shared gravesite. "As long as you guys are together again…" she whispered as the funeral came to a close.

"Mommy…Daddy…" Angie cried into Lil's leg.

"Hey, cheer up, Kiddo…" whispered Lil as she took Angie's hand. Lil led Angie away as the funeral came to a close. Lil had a lot of things to take care of, but making sure Angie was alright was on the top of her list. Lil didn't see how she was going to manage looking after Angie all by herself, but she knew she had to at least give it a shot. All they had now was each other.

"Looks like it's just you and me, huh?" said Lil, as the rain stopped falling. "…and don't worry. Mom and Dad may be gone, but I'm not going anywhere, alright?" Lil kneeled down to Angie's level and hugged her tightly. Angie nodded and her sobbing quieted down as they left.

"Promise?" Angie asked softly.

Lil smiled through her own tears and nodded. "Cross my heart…"

* * *

><p><em>The weather was too perfect for a trip to the cemetery. The rain fell softly, making the air cold and the cloudy sky kept the aura gloomy. The only people in the graveyard stood under a big tree that was losing its leaves to the cold weather coming. They stood over the shared grave as the rain lessened to a small drizzle. One stepped forward as the other two watched from the walkway, under an umbrella.<em>

_Wheatley placed a bouquet of roses on the shared grave as Lil and Angie looked on. The time to say his peace had long passed, but felt it needed to be said. He fought back the tears and swallowed his pride._

"_Miss Lady…" he started. _

"…_Chell…please, wherever you are…forgive me. I'm sorry I was bossy and monstrous and that I tried to kill you. If I could take it all back, I would. But if I did, I wouldn't have met your beautiful daughters and I never would have known you lived a full and happy life after all the horrors you faced. __You were an incredible woman and __I'm glad that you had a family and lived a good long life with someone who loved you very much. I know nothing I say will make up for what I did, but I want you to know this: I'm here with Miss Lil and Tiny Human. I'll take care of them. You don't need to worry anymore. This I promise you."_

_He knelt down and placed his fingertips on the tombstone. His fingers crossed over the cold stone, tracing along Chell's name. He didn't want to cry in front of Lil and Angie, and tried to stay strong. He also didn't want his glasses to fog up, less it ruin the moment._

"_Forgive me, Chell…my best friend…" Wheatley stood up and walked toward Lil and Angie. They didn't hear him, but Lil smiled at him just the same as she held the umbrella over his head. Wheatley knelt down and hugged Angie as she cried soft tears into his shoulder. "Miss Lil, Tiny Human, let's go." He said, softly. Angie wiped her eyes and ran ahead of them._

_Wheatley had told Lil and Angie earlier about his past with their mother. Angie forgave him instantly, thinking her mom was much cooler than she originally thought. Lil was mad at first, but forgave Wheatley, as she knew her mother would. "Wheatley…" Lil started as they left the cemetery. "…would you come with me to the wedding next weekend?" she asked._

"_I'd be honored, Miss Lil." said Wheatley. _

"_Promise me then…" Lil started. "…that you'll be your lovable, goofy self and nothing more." Lil smiled as the sun tried to peak out through the storm clouds. _

_Wheatley smiled and placed his hand on her shoulder. "Cross my heart, Lil. I cross my heart…"_

* * *

><p><strong>N'cha, everyone!<strong>

**Cheesy, I know, but I actually started to cry as I wrote this. I hope it didn't make you guys cry. *wipes eyes* It's pretty long, so I hope I got the point across. Don't listen to sad music when reading this chapter. You will regret it.**

**I had an entire day to myself, so I decided to do some double time and get this out to you guys as fast as I could. I know a lot of people were clamoring for me to reveal Chell, and when I did, I felt it a little incomplete, so I worked all day on this; the story of Chell's reintegration into humanity. In some sort of weird, cosmic way, it kind of echoes Wheatley's resurgence into humanity. I always felt that Chell and Wheatley made a good pair and would always be kindred spirits in a sense, even if he was floating in space for twenty-five years lol.**

**If you felt anything was missing, please feel free to let me know. I don't want anyone to think this chapter is lacking, as it is pretty emotional and I want everyone to have a good time here. I hope I portrayed Chell's life well. I wanted her to have a good life after Aperture, as she deserved it, and we all know it.**

**On a happier note, Stephen Merchant (the awesome guy who voiced Wheatley) is on a comedy tour at the moment. Mostly the UK, but I heard he's making a stop over here in the states. Sadly, it will only be in New York, which I am nowhere near. I hope anyone going to see any of his shows has a great time and I want you to know I am totally jealous lol. I have such a huge nerd crush on him =^.^=**

**Well, I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter and I appreciate all reviews. Thank you all again for your loyalty to my own insanity haha and be generous and leave a review telling me how I did, what you liked, all that good stuff. I promise to get back to the silly stuff in the next chapter so don't fret lol. Review and be merry, by friends.**

**GLaDOS and Wheatley belong to Valve.**


	13. Slumber Party

_Reconstructing Humanity_

Slumber Party

"_Are you still there?"_

"_Target Acquired"_

"_Dispensing Product"_

The turrets sounded off like the Fourth of July at an unknown target. GLaDOS watched the shadow scale the walls of the test chamber that was currently under reconstruction. She had a feeling deep within her mainframe that putting extra turrets in the unfinished test chambers would pay off. She couldn't let her rat problem disrupt the almost finished upgrades to her robots. It had been a while and GLaDOS wanted to make sure they were good and ready before awakening them.

GLaDOS chuckled sadistically as the shadow ducked back within the walls. This problem wasn't going to take care of itself, like she had hoped it would. Turrets would only keep him away for so long before he found a way around them; just like with everything else, this was merely delaying him. But, this was fun to GLaDOS nonetheless. Having to watch Wheatley all day was becoming boring. He had gotten used to being human again faster than she had expected.

"Any day now, my little rat is going to slip up." GLaDOS kept telling herself as the monitors buzzed around her. Having almost literally an infinite number of humans to test, GLaDOS wasn't sure what made her want her old nemesis back. Maybe she was more sentimental than she thought. Or maybe _Caroline_ had somehow snuck her way back into GLaDOS's central computer. GLaDOS reasoned that if that were the case, why wait over twenty-five years to make oneself known?

GLaDOS could literally spend hours (days even) thinking up logical excuses for why she suddenly felt in mourning, but then she'd delete them too. But one thought she couldn't delete (either out of necessity or literally not being able to delete it) was the thought that her favorite test subject was truly gone.

"No…it's not true…" she told herself as she coiled around her lair. GLaDOS was usually more rational than this. But at the moment, she was acting like a spoiled child who just had her favorite toy taken away (which pretty much sized up the situation). "This Lil person would have no reason to lie to the moron. Even if she and the tiny one _ARE _that lunatic's daughters…could she really be gone?" GLaDOS asked herself. Something inside GLaDOS triggered what one would amount to a small sob.

"I will need to meditate on this matter further. If that lunatic is gone…" GLaDOS stared at Wheatley's screen. Wheatley was staring at Lil, who was brushing her hair in a mirror.

_In the City_

"Wheatley, if you're going to stare at me, at least help me get ready." said Lil, as she finished brushing her hair. Lil was getting ready for her friend's bachelorette party, though she didn't seem too excited. Of course, since telling the story of her parents, Lil seemed to be acting distant towards Wheatley. Wheatley was trying everything he could to stay on Lil's good side. Whenever he tried to talk to Lil about his past with her mother, Lil would change the subject or just leave the room. Apparently, she wasn't as okay with it as she had previously said she was.

Wheatley cleared his throat and stepped lightly toward Lil. "Miss Lil, I really think…"

"Help me zip up my dress." Lil interrupted, lifting up her hair.

Wheatley sighed and walked behind her. Lil's navy blue knee length dress complemented her curves nicely, and it wasn't that Wheatley didn't notice…it was that he was trying not to. Weird things happened when he thought of Lil, like the tightness in his chest and the embarrassing obstruction that usually happened in his pants. Seeing Lil exposed from behind (well, seeing her bra anyway) made Wheatley blush. Wheatley grasped the zipper tightly and slowly pulled it up while looking away, for fear his glasses might fog up.

Lil let her jet black hair fall into place. "Now, while I'm gone, Wheaters, you're in charge. Angie is hosting her slumber party and her little friends should be arriving soon. I have my cell phone on me in case you need me and I made all the snacks beforehand, so you don't have to worry about making anything." Lil started collecting a few items to put in her clutch purse. "Don't let the girls stay up too late. They may be on break from school, but that doesn't mean they don't need to be in bed at a decent time. I left a list of rules on the counter in case anything needs repeating."

Hearing a car horn blaring outside, Lil ran to the open balcony door and waved to the women waving out of the sunroof of a limo. "Alright, the girls are here. I already told the other girls' mothers that you'd be here, so just act naturally and try not to get hurt."

Wheatley wasn't sure what Lil meant by that last part. Wheatley followed Lil to the door, trying to get her attention just for a moment. "Miss Lil, I was wondering if we could talk…"

Lil found her wedge-heel shoes and started for the door. "We can talk anytime, just not right now. I'm trusting you with very precious cargo, Wheatley. I'll be back late tonight so don't wait up." Angie ran in at that time, holding her stuffed white unicorn. "Angie, you behave for Wheatley tonight, alright?" warned Lil, hugging her sister. Angie nodded and waved to Lil as she left.

Wheatley and Angie waved to the limo from the balcony as it pulled away. "Miss Lil seems to be avoiding me, Tiny Human." Wheatley murmured as the limo drove off.

"Lil isn't very good at expressing how she feels. It's been like that since Mom and Dad died." Angie hugged her unicorn stuffed animal tightly as she and Wheatley walked back inside. Wheatley tried to keep himself focused on the night ahead. He didn't want his foul mood to ruin the fun.

"Alright, Tiny Human, let's get the flat ready for your slumber party." Wheatley said happily. Tonight was supposed to be a good night for both Angie and Lil, so Wheatley put on his biggest smile and decided to talk to Lil later.

Angie ran to her room to get her supplies as Wheatley walked over to the counter. _"Why didn't you go off with the other adults?"_ asked GLaDOS, through his implant.

"You heard Miss Lil; this party is ladies only. And last time I checked, which was this morning when I showered because you shocked me again for reaching down there, I am definitely not a woman." Wheatley answered in a matter-of-fact tone. "Besides, we couldn't very well leave all these children here by themselves, could we?"

GLaDOS went silent for a moment. For once, he made a valid point. _"Well, I guess we can make the best of this situation. Apparently, the other humans are trusting you with their offspring. Why, I have no clue. Interaction between children could be beneficial. It could give us a little insight into their parents' lives."_

Wheatley nodded and walked over to the counter. He picked up Lil's list and adjusted his glasses. "Well, I don't really know what goes on at a slumber party. Do you?" Wheatley asked. He could hear GLaDOS sigh. Deciding it'd be best not to ask GLaDOS such questions, Wheatley opted to do a bit of research on Lil's computer. Of course, he jumped at any chance to use the computer. It was fun, and it was the most familiar thing he had ever experienced. It was like Wheatley and computers just meshed perfectly together.

Wheatley sat in front of the computer and turned it on. He typed in "slumber party" (with the safe search turned on) and found a website with many reputable sources. So many, he didn't know which ones to use. Lil's list and the tips on the websites seemed to contradict one another. Wheatley read the list out loud:

_Wheatley,_

_I am entrusting you with my sister and her friends, so please don't screw this up. Hosting a child's slumber party is easy, just as long as you keep your wits about you. Angie already had a lot planned, so help her along as much as you can. Here is a list of rules for the party that you will enforce:_

_1) No sugary treats_

_2) No one goes into my bedroom_

_3) No one goes out of the apartment for any reason, not even to the roof top garden_

_4) No violent movies of any kind_

_5) No one is allowed on the balcony_

_6) Bed time is at 9pm sharp!_

_I won't be home until late, so make sure all the girls get to bed on time. Emergency numbers (including my cell number) are on the fridge if you need to reach anyone._

_~Lil_

Wheatley put the list on the desk and sighed. So far, he had gathered that he would be in charge of a group of children while Lil was out with friends. Wheatley sat up in the chair and thought about it. "Miss Lil deserves to have some fun, tonight." He mused, as he stood up. "She's always putting up with me and she runs the store practically by herself. Ever since…well, she's a strong woman and even a strong woman deserves to let lose every once in a while."

"_Well, you seem to know what you're doing; which is rare. If you don't mind, I think I'll sit this one out. I'll be recording, but I will offer no insight."_ said GLaDOS.

"Finally trust me to do a good job, love?" Wheatley asked his implant smugly.

"_No, I just have other things here I need to take care of. You're on your own."_ With that, Wheatley heard a click in his head. He sighed and rolled his eyes.

Wheatley walked into the kitchen and stared at the list of numbers on the fridge. "Alright Wheatley, tonight is your chance to prove to Miss Lil that you are capable of taking care of things when she's not around." Wheatley nodded and did his best to give himself a pep talk. "Miss Lil is counting on you, Wheatley. Show Miss Lil that you can take care of her and Tiny Human…" he kept whispering.

It was about that time that Angie walked out of her room carrying a big box. "Mr. Wheatley! We have to hurry and get the apartment ready!" she shouted, placing the box on the floor. Wheatley nodded and went to help Angie prepare. He moved the coffee table from the living room and helped Angie move her little table from her room after moving the dining area table out of the way. "Alright, Mr. Wheatley, now we have to get some snacks and everything should be ready for everyone!" she shouted happily.

Wheatley went over to the fridge and opened it up. "Miss Lil said she already made some snacks, so we don't need to worry." Angie was already worried. Whenever Lil was tasked to make snacks for any kind of event, it usually meant something healthy or some other kind of weird vegetarian concoction.

And Angie would be right, because Wheatley pulled out a tray of vegetables and dip, some sugar free juice, granola bars, and a bowl of homemade applesauce. "This all looks delicious." He said, happily. Angie sighed sadly and watched as Wheatley placed all the snacks on the table. "The website said most slumber party snacks include chips and candy and this thing called pizza." Wheatley scratched his chin as Angie smiled wide.

"Did Lil order pizza?" she asked, excitedly.

Wheatley shook his head. "I don't know. What is pizza?" he asked, looking down at Angie. Angie smiled wide and ran over to the little table by the door where Lil usually put the mail. Angie shifted through the papers and pulled out a flyer. On the flyer was a picture of a circular food item with cheese and other delicious looking toppings on it. "This…looks familiar…" said Wheatley, as his mouth watered.

"Pizza is the best food in the world! You can get anything on it! Lil usually just gets a really thin one with mushrooms." Angie stuck out her tongue as Wheatley looked over the flyer.

"Mushrooms sound good…" Wheatley mumbled.

"I like pepperoni, sausage, peppers, and anchovies!" Angie licked her lips as Wheatley looked at the coupons.

"These are some good deals, Tiny Human. Miss Lil said no junk food, but I think we can let this one slide…" Wheatley winked at Angie, who jumped up and down excitedly. "What kind of pizzas do you think the other kids will want?" he asked, as he picked up the phone.

The doorbell rang loudly. "Oh, bullocks! Here, Tiny Human, order the pizzas and I'll get the door." Wheatley passed the phone to Angie and went to answer the door. Wheatley opened the door after about the third ring. "Hello, hello!" he shouted happily as a small crowd of little girls ran into the apartment.

As the girls ran past, Wheatley was greeted by the big smiles of their mothers. "You must be Mr. Wheatley, Lil's roommate." said the Blonde Mother.

"She said you'd be looking after the girls tonight. I didn't think you'd be this handsome." said the Red-Head Mother.

Wheatley backed up with a nervous smile. "Lil said she'd leave our numbers in case of an emergency, but you can call me anytime you want." said the Brunette Mother, winking softly.

"Well, your girls are safe with me, night!" Wheatley shouted as he closed the door tight. "Are all of Miss Lil's friends single?" he asked himself, as he stood against the door.

Wheatley walked over to the group of giggly girls as they set their things down in the living room. Angie walked over to Wheatley after hanging up the phone. "The pizzas will be here in about thirty minutes." said Angie, as she went to greet her friends.

Wheatley cocked an eyebrow. "Pizzas? How many did you order?" he asked while walking after Angie.

The three girls giggled happily as Angie ran up to them. "It's great to see you guys!" she said, happily. The girls greeted Angie but became silent as Wheatley walked over to them. Compared to the group of small children currently in his charge, he was a giant. "You guys, this is Mr. Wheatley!" Angie pointed to Wheatley, who smiled and waved to the girls. The girls stared at him for a bit and then giggled amongst themselves. He heard them whisper softly and then wave to him.

"This is Anita…" Angie pointed to the blonde one. "…Joyce…" Angie pointed to the brunette one. "…and Carly…" Angie pointed to the red-headed one. Each girl waved happily. Wheatley nodded and smiled happily as each girl set up their respective places in the living room.

"Alright, so, food is taken care of. If you don't want to wait for pizza, Miss Lil made some grub, which is currently on the kitchen counter, so you all have that. But, if not, we can pass the time until the pizzas get here with a fun activity." Wheatley turned around and walked over to the hall closet. "I think Miss Lil said there was some board games in here somewhere…just have to get them out…" Wheatley had no problem reaching the board games situated at the top shelf of the hall closet. "Miss Lil's note said this would be hard, but so far, this is easy. Watch telly while a bunch of little girls eat pizza and then shoo them off to bed. Miss Lil will be so impressed."

Overconfidence was never a friend to Wheatley. "Alright, girls, we have Monopoly, some kind of chess-like game, and a box of what looks like random game pieces, so…" All four girls were looking at Wheatley. He placed the board games on the couch and stared at them. "What's the matter, ladies?" he asked, feeling a foreboding sensation.

Wheatley backed up as the girls and their sinister smiles got closer. "Umm…Parcheesi?" he asked as the girls pounced on him.

_Meanwhile_

"To Annie; just two years ago, you wouldn't have given Robbie the time of day. Now, you can't go two minutes without sending him a text message. I wonder how this will work!" shouted May, holding up her martini. Annie's bachelorette party had taken up a few bar stools in a local night club.

The glasses clinked as each girl took a swig. "No wait, I got one, I got one!" shouted one of the other girls.

"My name is Meredith, and I have known Annie and most of you girls for years. We've seen some good times, like our trip to the beach senior year, and some hard times, like when Lil's ex tried to rob her blind. But, I think we've all hit a bit of good fortune lately." The woman (Meredith) took a swig from her martini glass and then continued. "Annie is getting married to Robbie, the world's hugest computer nerd; May got a promotion at the café, she is now a manager…" May got up and bowed and then sat back down. "…and Lil…oh, Lil…Lillian…Lilly…Lil has a hot British guy living with her now!"

All the girls hooted and hollered as Lil hid her face behind her glass. "It's not what you guys think!" she whined. "We're not dating or anything! He's basically a pet." That comment made the girls holler a little louder.

"Oh, I believe you, Lil. By the way he follows your every order, he likes being on your leash." shouted Bernice, shaking her glass for the waiter to bring her another drink.

Lil blushed and downed her drink. "He is pretty cute, Lil; a bit tall for my tastes, and somewhat clumsy; but cute nonetheless. He's so good with Angie, too…" said Laurie, as she sipped her drink. "You might want to sink your claws into him before he gets away."

"Lil won't…" May shouted, sitting in between Lil and Annie. "She'll wait and wait until someone else snags him up to realize she could have had something wonderful and truly meaningful. Just like with that Lenny guy from a few months ago. What was your excuse for not getting serious with him?" May took a long swig from her drink. "...oh yeah, 'Something about him seemed off' she said."

Annie thanked the waiter as he poured her another drink. "Now, to be fair to Lil, that Armin guy left a pretty big dent. Who threatens a small child and then has the nerve to steal from her and her sister? And when he's caught, he doesn't even apologize! Frankly, I think beating him with a really thick book was too nice." All the girls agreed and held up their drinks. "But the girls are right; That Wheatley guy is a sweet man. I mean, how many other guys actually take the time to make sure everything is done the way you said it needs to be done? Robbie won't even pick up the mail from the mail box when he gets home from work and Wheatley picks up your mail, sorts it, and leaves it in a nice pile for you to check on the little table by the door."

The girls laughed softly as the toasts continued. Lil stared into her drink and twirled the little umbrella around. In truth, Wheatley was probably the only man who had treated her with any type of respect in a while. Most of the time, she only attracted losers, but Wheatley seemed sincere. Though, sometimes she wondered if his awkwardness towards her was actually feelings or him still getting used to being human. While she had believed Wheatley's story for quite a while, the details about her mother was the icing on the cake.

"Waiter! Sex on the beach please!" Lil shouted, holding up her now empty glass.

_Back at the Apartment_

The four girls giggled happily as they put their various apparatuses away. "There we are, Mr. Wheatley! All pretty!" Angie shouted, as Anita handed her a mirror. Wheatley grabbed his glasses and put them back on. He found himself staring in a mirror wearing bright red lipstick, overdone blush, badly traced black eyeliner, and a sky blue eye shadow. Wheatley screamed at the top of his lungs and ran to the bathroom to wash it all off.

The girls laughed loudly as the bathroom door slammed. "Maybe we did go overboard on the lipstick!" laughed Anita. Joyce put her ear to the bathroom door and could hear Wheatley scrubbing hard. "So, is he your uncle or something, Angie?" she asked, holding back her giggles.

"No, he just lives here with me and Lil. He works at the bookstore, too." Angie put her ear to the door. The girls laughed even louder when they heard Wheatley scream about how bad it all tastes.

"So, is he your sister's boyfriend?" asked Carly. Angie sighed and shook her head as Wheatley retched from inside the bathroom.

"No, but I know they like each other. Mr. Wheatley is always doing what Lil says, even down to the tiniest detail. And sometimes when I get up at night, I hear this weird buzzing sound coming from Lil's room and once I think I heard her say Mr. Wheatley's name." Angie leaned against the door as Wheatley screamed in pain from the make-up being in his eyes. "I wish Lil would date Mr. Wheatley. He told me once that he liked Lil a lot, but then again, emotions confuse him still."

While the girls didn't understand that last part, they all nodded anyway. Inside the bathroom, Wheatley had finally gotten all the make-up off. _"I heard screaming so I came back to check on you. What happened?"_ asked GLaDOS, through the implant.

"The children ambushed me and painted my face with some kind of weird paint. Kind of like the stuff Lil keeps in her purse, only glittery and it stings badly." Wheatley whined as he rubbed his eyes with a towel. "What kind of parent lets a small child have such things?"

"_I cannot believe this. You are the adult here, meaning you are the dominate one. Act like it!"_ with that, Wheatley heard another click. Wheatley sat on the lid of the toilet and sighed. He was starting to wonder what had GLaDOS so occupied the last few weeks. She had never let a chance to insult him slip by, but lately it's like she's barely been around. He decided, next chance he got, to pose a few questions to her.

Wheatley shot straight up when he heard a knock at the bathroom door. "Mr. Wheatley! The pizzas are here!" shouted Angie. Wheatley sighed happily.

"Sweet relief." He sighed, as he left the bathroom. He grabbed his wallet from the counter and opened the door. At almost the exact moment he opened the door, the pizza guy handed Wheatley a stack of pizzas.

After paying for the pizzas (Wheatley was outraged by the price, to say the least), Wheatley put the small stack on the counter. "How many pizzas do four six-year-olds need?" he asked, catching his breath. Wheatley jumped out of the way when the girls stampeded over toward the pizzas.

"Let's watch a movie!" shouted Angie, as she took a box toward the living room. The other girls grabbed their respective boxes and ran after Angie, all giggling.

With a soft sigh, Wheatley walked over to the two remaining boxes. One smelled spicy while the other had no smell at all. He opened the one that had no smell at all and blinked. Mushrooms. Wheatley liked mushrooms, ever since Lil made shiitake mushrooms that one time. He took a slice and put it on a plate and sat at the counter as the girls pawed their way through some of the DVDs. Wheatley smiled and happily ate his slice. Besides the make-up ambush, things were going well. The girls picked a cartoon and put it in the DVD player. Wheatley watched from the counter of the kitchen as the girls fawned over a movie starring colorful ponies and a bunch of other weird things he didn't quite understand.

He chewed his slice slowly and leaned against his right arm. Wheatley wasn't sure what this movie was about, but it was boring him into slumber…

"_You know, I didn't eat pizza much until I came to the states." laughed Wheatley, as Pam walked over to the couch with a pizza box. It took him a while, but Wheatley had finally gotten Pam to move in with him. She seemed more than happy to when he told her he had found a nicer apartment. It wasn't much, but it was a lot nicer than the one bedroom hole-in-the-wall he used live in. They hadn't been dating long (probably no more than three months) but he believed it was probably the best time. They had to do most of the moving themselves, but since neither of them owned much, it wasn't a strenuous task._

_Boxes were strewn about on the floor and mostly unpacked. The furniture had just arrived today from Wheatley's old apartment (which was only a computer desk that served also served as a dining table and a fold out couch that was also Wheatley's bed) and soon the bed they picked out together would arrive. Pam's bed from her apartment was too small, considering Wheatley was so tall._

_It took Wheatley a while to find a place both he and Pam could afford that was a good distance between both of their jobs. Pam was a secretary at a business within the city's business district and Wheatley's paying internship started just a few weeks ago. While the pay from both was decent, Pam didn't work much. She had switched to part-time hours when her doctors told her to take it easy. Some days she couldn't even get out of bed, but those days were very few and far in between._

"_I assume you did have pizza places over there in England, right?" asked Pam, handing Wheatley a can of soda. _

"_Of course we did. It's not all fish and chips over there. Though, I could go for some right now." Wheatley chuckled. "My mother just fancied herself a gourmet chef and did most of the cooking until I was about ten or so. Well, she tried to, anyway. Oh man alive, every Christmas since I was about four we are reminded of the Christmas pudding incident. We still aren't sure how it happened and she swears it was an accident to this day, but that thing flew across the yard when the oven had just…I guess the best word for it would be 'conceded'."_

_Pam giggled as Wheatley laughed loudly. "…wait, Wheatley, sweetheart, aren't you supposed to steam Christmas pudding?" she asked. _

"_Not if you're my mother and didn't realize homemade Christmas pudding takes eight hours to make properly." He laughed, as Pam handed him a paper plate with a slice of pizza on it._

_Pam snuggled close to Wheatley and nibbled on her slice. "This is a nice apartment. Much nicer than that water closet you used to call an apartment." She laughed, as she reached for her soda. Wheatley's old apartment had only one room (if one doesn't count the bathroom). The central room was his office/kitchen/den/bedroom and finding this apartment at such an affordable price was magical._

"_So, tell me all about Aperture. I bet a bunch of sciency stuff happens there." Pam placed her soda can on a nearby box as he looked inquisitively at her boyfriend. _

"_It's nothing special, really, still going over orientations. It's me and a few other people. Fresh out of college, of course. Only one lady amongst us, this curious woman everyone calls 'McIntyre'. Always asking questions, that one. I don't think the other blokes like me much. Well, I did make one friend, actually…" Wheatley leaned back into the couch and sighed happily. "His name is Harvey. We went out for a few beers after work today. He's a great guy." Wheatley laughed. _

"_You know how I feel about drinking." said Pam, sharply. _

_With a snide smile, Wheatley brought Pam closer. "Ahh, it was just a few, love. Don't get all uppity about it."_

_Pam rolled her eyes and looked around the empty apartment. "It's not fancy, but at least it's in a better area." Wheatley reasoned, putting his plate down. "Hopefully the bed will be here by tomorrow so we don't have to sleep on the floor." Wheatley noticed Pam snuggled close to him, resting and breathing softly on his shoulder. "Pam, love?" Wheatley shook Pam softly and she opened her eyes again. _

"_Oh…I must have dozed off for a bit." Pam giggled, looking up at Wheatley._

_She was physically weak and he could tell. Pam outright refused to discuss her illness with Wheatley, for fear he'd only date her out of pity. It wasn't until after she was sure he loved her unconditionally that she disclosed the details of her health. After that, neither one talked about it unless something important happened._

_With a sad sigh, Wheatley put his arm around Pam and pulled her close. "How bad did the doctors say it was?" he asked, after a short silence. _

_Pam looked up at him and tried to force a smile. "Dr. Thomas said that since they found it early, it's treatable, but I will still be tired and weak during the treatments."_

_Pam didn't like to talk about her illness (she wouldn't even tell Wheatley what it was that she had). Pam put on a smile and sat up. Tonight was a happy night, and she didn't want her illness to ruin it for her, like it ruined her job for her. "Does it run in your family?" asked Wheatley, as Pam reached for her drink. _

_Pam nodded with a sad sigh. "My grandmother died from it…"_

_Wheatley's eyes widened. "She ignored the signs for years; she chalked up to just getting old and then one day the in-home nurse guy found her on the kitchen floor, unresponsive. It had progressed to a point where it was untreatable and it was only a matter of time." Pam felt Wheatley hold her tightly. "After that, I started getting sick and I went to a doctor and…" Pam began to tear up._

"_Oh no…Shhh…Shhh…it's okay, Darling. I didn't mean to upset you…" Wheatley cooed, rubbing Pam's upper arm. "I'm sorry, Pam. Please don't cry." He pleaded as Pam wiped her eyes with her arm. _

"_I'm sorry; it's just that thinking of my grandmother gets me like that." Wheatley kissed Pam's forehead as they stared at the space of wall where they would eventually put the television. _

"_It is a nice apartment, isn't it?" Wheatley chuckled, as he reached for his soda. Pam nodded and kissed his cheek. _

"_Tell me more about England. Will you take me there someday?" she asked._

_With a soft chuckle, Wheatley nodded. "Ahh, yes…I'll take you there, someday. You and my mother can swap recipes. You can ask her about her exploding cupcakes and then you can tell her about the meat loaf that almost put a hole in the floor." He laughed. _

_Pam rolled her eyes as she giggled. "Alright, so I cooked it a little too long. I don't even like meat loaf, so why was I cooking it in the first place?" she asked, in between laughs. _

"_Because your loving and supportive boyfriend likes it." Wheatley joked, as he kissed Pam's forehead._

_The two laughed softly and eventually drifted off into sleep on the couch._

Wheatley opened his eyes and smiled, though he wasn't sure why he was smiling. "England…maybe I'll go there someday." He mumbled, as he sat up. The apartment was oddly quiet. "How long was I asleep?" he asked himself as he got up from the stool. The living room was empty save for some sleeping bags and a few half-empty boxes of pizza. "Tiny Humans?" he shouted, as he looked about the apartment. He looked in each room (he just barely peaked into Lil's room), but couldn't find the girls anywhere.

"Oh no…I've lost all those Tiny Humans I was in charge of!" Wheatley started to panic and run around the apartment. "Miss Lil is…" at that point the phone rang. Wheatley inched over to the phone and let it ring. He was too afraid of answering it, but he knew if it was Lil and no one answered, she'd assume the worst and come straight home; ruining her evening. Wheatley wanted to prove to Lil that he was responsible, so he picked up the phone with faked confidence. "'Ello?" he asked.

"Hey Wheaters, it's me, Lil. I just wanted to check up on you and see how you're holding up." Lil was speaking loudly over the music in the background.

"Oh, hey Miss Lil! Oh yeah, everything is fine. Tiny Human and her friends are just watching one of those movie things with the ponies. Don't quite understand it, me-self. Bored to tears…" Wheatley chuckled nervously.

Lil laughed a bit. "Well, as long as everyone is having fun. What are they doing now?"

Wheatley laughed nervously. "Right now? Umm…well, they just got finished eating."

"That's good. Alright, I just wanted to make sure everything was alright. I'll be home in a few hours, so don't worry, alright?"

"Of course, of course, Miss Lil! No need to worry about a thing. I have everything under control." Wheatley unbuttoned the top button on his shirt. He heard some voices in the background call for Lil.

"Ha-ha, alright, Wheaters, just call if you need anything. Tell Angie I said good night!"

Wheatley slowly put the phone down and swallowed hard. "I have to find those kids." He said, as he did a second run of the apartment. Wheatley ran out to the balcony and looked below. Hoping the girls didn't fall off; Wheatley looked over the side and scouted the streets. He heard giggling coming from the roof. "Oh no…Miss Lil will kill me…" he shouted as he darted back inside.

On the roof, where a garden thrived, the girls had laid out a blanket to lie on as they stared at the night sky. Despite being in the city, the night sky was clear and the sounds of the city were relaxing. "Lil doesn't like it when I come up here by myself, but I come up here all the time. Though, not as much as to my secret place." said Angie, waving a flashlight around.

"You talk about that secret place a lot. Have you been there lately?" asked Joyce, as she sat up.

"No. I used to only go there whenever me and Lil fought. But ever since Mr. Wheatley came along, we don't fight as much."

"It's like he is just what the doctor ordered." giggled Carly. The girls giggled softly and rolled around on the blanket.

They all shot up when they heard the door to the stairs swing open. "Tiny Human? Are you and your friends up here?" Wheatley shouted, as he walked through the doorway.

"Why does he call you 'Tiny Human'?" asked Anita. Wheatley walked up to the girls before Angie could answer.

"Tiny Human, you know you're not allowed up here without me or Miss Lil." Wheatley was breathing heavily. The stairs to the roof were exhausting. One of the only times he missed his management rail was when it came to stairs. "Miss Lil barely allows me up here by myself. All of you, back to the apartment, now. I'll clean up here." The girls walked into the direction that Wheatley was pointing to.

As Wheatley started picking up the girls' belongings, Angie had the girls huddle close to her. "March!" shouted Wheatley, pointing to the door. After grabbing everything, Wheatley walked closely behind the girls as they went back into the apartment.

Back in the apartment, the girls waited for Wheatley, who struggled carrying all the items into the apartment. "I'm sorry I had to get loud, girls, but rules are rules." said Wheatley, as he placed the items down. "Now, let's all adjourn back to the living and watch…" Wheatley looked up and saw all four girls staring at him.

"Attack!" shouted Angie, tossing her pillow at Wheatley.

Before too long, the girls were laughing loudly and smacking Wheatley with pillows. Though he was taken by surprise, Wheatley let out a few laughs himself. "Your pillows can't harm me! I'll get you!" When he got a hold of a pillow, he chased the girls around. "It's just making me stronger, love!" he shouted, chasing the girls and tossing pillows at them. "Fool's errand!"

Eventually, the all sat down to relax after catching their breaths. "That was amazing! It was like throwing little soft bombs!" he shouted, happily. Wheatley fell back onto the couch and sighed happily. He couldn't remember the last time he had this much fun (he literally couldn't). "So, what do you girls want to do next?" he asked, sitting up.

_Meanwhile, outside a local club_

Lil rummaged through her purse for her cell phone, a little too tipsy to remember if she put it in there or not. Thinking about Wheatley made her want to drink more. May walked over to Lil and pulled her along. "Come on, Lil! The limo guy is waiting." She slurred, as she and Lil made their way back to the group. "Since this is all on Annie's mom's tab, we're going to go get make-overs at the spa."

Not realizing May was missing a shoe, Lil followed loyally. "Is it still open? It's got to be about…" Lil looked at her wrist, which was bare. "Oh right, I don't wear a watch." She giggled.

"Of course it's still open! Annie's mom made us reservations. And it's only eight. Maybe a little spritzing up will make you more hot to Mr. Wheatley!" May joked, as she and Lil got into the limo. Lil blushed as all the girls toasted the night.

"We've been over this you guys, there is nothing going on between me and Wheatley." said Lil, as the limo took off.

"Don't lie, you two share some crazy chemistry." said Bernice, sitting back. "You need to let your fears of being with a man go and embrace what you two could have together. Not all the men in the world are like Armin; from what I've seen, I don't think that Wheatley guy can even get the register drawer open without hurting himself somehow."

Lil sighed and stared out the window. "Come on girls, let's not depress Lil. Tonight is a happy night! Annie's mom is paying for everything, so I say we live it up! Let's get to the spa, pretty ourselves up, and go cause some trouble before the night is over!" shouted May, who was opening the moon roof. "Tonight is a night for freedom!" she shouted, as she stuck her head out of the moon roof. Lil stared out the window for a little while. The girls were celebrating, but Lil kept thinking about Wheatley.

Everything he had said made her mad, but at the same time, it explained why she felt she could trust him. Her mother did, and even though things went sour, Lil knew Chell would have forgiven him. Lil started to remember a story her mother used to tell her as a child; about a brave hero who came fought an evil queen, and then fell asleep for a hundred years only to awaken the evil queen again. She was a little too drunk to remember all the details, but it made since now. She would often ask her mother if the story was true, as the way her mother told it made it sound like she went through it herself. Chell never gave her a full answer.

Of all the things Lil didn't like about her mother, it was that she was secretive. Now she knew why. Lil leaned back as the limo drove along. Lil missed her mother horribly, but at the moment, she just wanted answers. Her train of thought was interrupted by the sudden stop of the limo.

"We're here!" shouted May, as the girls piled out. Lil found herself being dragged along. "Come, Lil! Let's make you hot for Wheatley!"

_At the apartment_

If being six foot seven and sitting at a child's table wasn't uncomfortable enough, Angie had him in a flower hat and feather boa scarf. At the moment, he didn't feel like Wheatley. Angie told him he was now Mrs. Nora Nesbitt, the owner of the unicorn farm down the street from the candy Mrs. Sparkle's Chocolate Factory. Wheatley sighed as he drank his imaginary tea while one of the girls painted his toe nails.

"…this cotton candy pink polish goes wonderfully with your new purse, Mrs. Nesbitt." said Angie (Mrs. Sparkle).

Wheatley sighed softly and pretended to sip his tea. "Thank you, Mrs. Sparkle." He groaned.

"Your feet are big, Mrs. Nesbitt!" shouted Carly. The girls laughed as they poked Wheatley's feet.

"Stop that…" Wheatley laughed loudly as the girls started tickling him. "Stop that…that's…AHAH-HAHA-HAHAHA!"

The girls dog piled onto Wheatley and held him down as Angie tickled him. After a while, they stopped and he sat back up. He caught his breath and smiled, taking off the hat and boa. "Alright, what do you girls want to do now?" he asked.

The girls looked at each other and then back to Wheatley. "Let's watch another movie!" shouted Joyce.

Wheatley nodded and went to the shelf Lil kept the DVDs on. "Another pony movie?" he asked.

"Let me pick one!" said Angie, as Wheatley lifted her up. Angie picked a movie off the shelf and Wheatley slowly put her down. "Alright, movie is all picked out, let's get some snacks."

Feeling he finally had control of the situation again, Wheatley picked the uneaten snacks off the counter and placed them in front of the girls in the living room on the coffee table. The girls stared at Wheatley, like hawks contemplating a kill. "What does everyone want? Keep in mind we still have plenty of pizza."

"I want some ice cream!" shouted Anita, happily. All the girls agreed with her. Wheatley hadn't had ice cream since the first time he took Angie to the park. After the brain freeze went away, he had unanimously decided that he liked ice cream in any of its forms.

"Alright, I'll go see if we have any." Wheatley got up and walked with his toes up, not wanting to get wet nail polish on the hardwood floors. He searched the freezer high and low but closed it sadly. "I think we're out of ice cream, girls. Miss Lil must have forgotten to get some last time she went shopping." The girls moaned mournfully. Wheatley looked at the dejected faces on the girls. He knew that if Lil found out he had broken any of the rules on her list, she'd be mad. Very mad. Of course, they'd already broken about half the rules on the list anyway.

Wheatley sighed as he looked among the sad faces of the girls. "Grab your coats…" he said, picking his wallet and apartment key off the counter. The girls happily trailed after Wheatley. If he remembered correctly (which was rare), there was an all-night convenience store just a block or so away. Not too far of a walk and very little chance of getting lost. He liked those odds.

If being six foot seven wasn't unusual enough, having four little girls in jackets and colorful pajamas trailing after you like ducklings certainly was. It didn't help matters much that GLaDOS decided to chime in with her two cents after a few hours of silence. _"What are you doing? I thought that list said not to leave the apartment."_ She scolded, watching Wheatley march down the street.

"Well, we've already broken the other rules Miss Lil left for us, what's one more?" Wheatley whispered.

"_Disregarding set rules a caregiver has given for care of a child…yep, you're definitely getting the hang of this human thing."_ GLaDOS sighed.

"Thank you, love…" Wheatley murmured proudly.

"_You might not want to answer out loud, by the way. I'm pretty sure the small humans think you're unusual enough."_

Wheatley turned his head and watched as the girls stared at him. "Good point." He murmured, as they passed each store. Eventually, they reached the corner store and walked inside. Immediately, the girls scattered about like locusts. Wheatley walked up to the counter and greeted the teenager behind it. "Hello there. Where do you keep your ice cream?" Wheatley asked, leaning against the counter.

The kid had green hair spiked up in small liberty spikes and a nose piercing. Wheatley felt his head spin as a blurry vision of a similar person greeting Wheatley but at a different store flashed before his eyes. It was gone within a second, but this scenario seemed familiar to him. "In the cooler across from the candy isle." said the young man, going back to his magazine. As Wheatley turned around, he did a count of each of the girls. All present and accounted for. Wheatley smiled proudly to himself.

Wheatley picked out four different tubs and walked up to the counter. "I'm babysitting for some friends of mine. Everyone said it'd be difficult, but aside from a few small snags, everything is going smoothly." He said happily to the young man at the counter. The young man offered no retort as he rang up Wheatley's purchases.

"Hey, you want to control your kids, buddy?" he shouted, after ringing up the last tub of ice cream. Looking behind, Wheatley shrieked in horror as the girls demolished the snack aisle. Wheatley eventually succeeded in calming the girls down. "Dude, I'm not a parent or anything, but I don't think giving a bunch of hyperactive little girls ice cream at 9:30 at night is a good idea." said the young man as Wheatley paid him.

"_The crazy haired man is right. My scans indicate their metabolism is high, which means their energy readings are going through the roof."_ said GLaDOS, as Wheatley watched the clerk bag his ice cream. Wheatley waited until the clerk had gone to the back for whatever reason to answer.

"Oh, it's just ice cream. What's the worst that could happen?" he asked.

Wheatley soon got his answer at the apartment when he found himself chasing after each of the girls.

"Anita, you're not supposed to be in there!" Wheatley dove from place to place trying to keep up with the energetic little girls. "No, Joyce, that is definitely NOT where that goes…TINY HUMAN! You know better than that! Come back with…oh for…Carly, please be careful with…oh no, it'll take me all night to get that out of the rug!" Wheatley soon found himself out of breath and sitting on the couch. He decided to do a quick head count. "Yep, everyone's here…" he said, with a sigh.

Eventually, the girls settled down a bit and Wheatley watched as the girls started to crash from their sugar rush. Each girl settled down on the couch and leaned against each other as Wheatley began to clean up the apartment. After a half hour, all the girls were asleep. The apartment (save for the living room, as Wheatley didn't want to wake the girls) was cleaned up and ready for Lil to come home. Wheatley stepped over some toys and empty pizza boxes and sat in the middle of the couch.

"_Well, they are asleep. Congrats, idiot."_ said GLaDOS, through the implant.

Wheatley only sighed and leaned back onto the couch. "See? Piece of cake." Wheatley laughed tiredly. "I think this proves to Miss Lil that I can take care of anything that should arise."

He heard GLaDOS chuckle softly. _"Well, either way, you certainly proved that things can indeed get worse if you try hard enough."_

Her snide remarks didn't faze Wheatley, because he was starting to nod off as well. "Miss Lil will be so proud…of me…" Wheatley yawned as he fell asleep.

The sounds of a key hitting the door a few times woke Wheatley up. He noticed the girls had shifted constantly in the course of the night and now were all leaning against him in some way. Wheatley softly moved the girls out of the way and got up, rubbing his head. He got to the door just as Lil burst in, laughing drunkenly. "Helloooooo, Wheatley!" she laughed, her cheeks red.

Wheatley blinked a few times. "What…what's wrong with Miss Lil?" he asked, somewhat scared of the woman approaching him.

"_Don't be alarmed, she's drunk. When humans consume enough of substance alcohol, it effects their functioning. If one consumes too much, it can be lethal. By scanning her, I can already tell she's had too much."_

Lil stumbled into the apartment, falling into Wheatley's arms. "How was your evening?" he asked, as he carried her toward a chair.

"It was…phhttt…awesome!" shouted Lil, leaning back into the computer chair. Lil looked like she could barely keep her balance. "You know…for…for…oh man…" Lil covered her mouth. "…for a party, I guess it was okay…" Lil slowly stood up and laughed loudly. Wheatley hoped to everything that she didn't wake up the girls. "…we…I may have…had just a little…bitty teensy weensy much to drink…"

Wheatley chuckled softly and helped Lil up. _"You might want to get her into bed. She could hurt herself if she stays up too long. She can become very sick if she doesn't sleep it off."_

"Come one, Miss Lil, let's get you to bed…" Wheatley said softly.

Lil wrapped her arms around Wheatley and looked him deep in the eyes. "Wheatley…you're a wonderful guy!" she shouted, drunkenly.

"Thank you, Miss Lil…" he said as he helped Lil towards her bedroom.

"No, no…I mean it…you will make…a great human someday…" Lil laughed.

Wheatley hadn't been in Lil's bedroom at all since he moved in. He peaked in earlier, but it was dark and couldn't see anything. He opened her bedroom door and turned on the lights. Lil's bedroom wasn't very impressive to say the least. It was big, but it didn't have much in it, save for a bed, a dresser, and a bathroom attached. Her sheets were green and she had some stuffed animals on her dresser. In the corner of her room on a stand sat an acoustic guitar that looked like it had been practiced on a lot lately.

"In one week, Annie gets married and I have to play bridesmaid in that ugly orange dress…" Lil muttered softly. "She gets married…she gets a husband and I get a blast from my mother's past." Lil hiccupped a few times and fell on her bed. Wheatley found a blanket on a chair in the corner and covered Lil. "Oh mom…your stories didn't…" Lil finally started snoring.

Wheatley sat on the edge of Lil's bed and sighed. He looked at her nightstand and found a picture of her parents. He picked it up and sighed. "Hello, Miss Lady. Please don't think ill of Miss Lil; she deserved to go out and have a few with the ladies. All she does around here." Wheatley chuckled and put the picture down. "Watch over her, please. Good night…" Wheatley stroked Lil's hair and smiled softly. "You look like her, you know. If you don't mind me saying, Miss Lil…you're prettier…"

As he was leaving the room, Wheatley thought he heard Lil mutter something else. "Wheaters…I…" then loud drunken snoring. Wheatley only smiled softly as he left. He shut the door softly and tip-toed past the sleeping children in the living room to his bedroom. It was silent until he started getting dressed for bed.

"_That was really cheesy."_ said GLaDOS, as Wheatley buttoned up his shirt.

"It's not like she heard me." He whispered.

"_That may be, but it was still cheesy."_ GLaDOS watched him take off his glasses and lay his head down on his pillow.

Wheatley stared at the ceiling, like he did every night. He wasn't sure why, but it relaxed him. He sighed softly and turned to face the radio on his night stand. It had been silent for weeks, despite his every attempt to turn it on to play something. He softly closed his eyes and drifted into sleep.

_At the Facility_

_DING!_

_Updates Completed_

_Co-operative Testing Initiative Bots Back Online_

_Starting Up…Blue…_

_Starting Up…Orange…_

The Hub had been silent for weeks. The only sounds being made were the clean-up bots that GLaDOS had designed to tidy up the facility. Two modified relaxation beds sat in the middle of a big room just off of the Hub and the machines kept humming softly. Endless information was being downloaded into the beds where the two robots laid. With her two assistants, she could do more, as Androids were more versatile, but they didn't phase out Wheatley's use all the way.

As far as being human, they were not. Despite her own vast intellect, she could not properly recreate human emotions when she herself barely felt any. She could program them to do anything, but they would still be lacking. Her main goal would to hopefully phase out Wheatley's usefulness (or lack thereof). It wasn't that he wasn't doing his mission; if anything, he was doing surprisingly well.

ATLAS and P-Body awoke from their stasis slowly. They couldn't hear anything except the beeping of machinery around them. Out of the relaxation bed stepped out what looked like a young man with blue hair. He opened his eyes and looked around. This android pondered his new body.

"Good morning, Blue. How do you feel?" asked GLaDOS, in a semi-mocking way. Still machine, but designed to look human, he was indeed an android. GLaDOS made a mirror pop up from the floors. ATLAS squinted and touched the mirror. His new body felt weird. He looked human, save for the blue hair and the machine like eyes. He wore a blue shirt with the Aperture Science logo over the left corner. "It would appear that despite how long it took, your new upgrade was successful. Now, let's check on your friend…"

P-Body didn't wake up right away. ATLAS wondered over to her bed and waited patiently. After a few minutes, a very human looking girl sat up. P-Body blinked a few times and looked at her hands. They looked human with five fingers. It almost scared her when ATLAS walked up and helped her out. Her eyes were orange and so was her hair, which seemed to be fashioned into two low pig-tails. She sat up slowly and stood, though she shook a bit. She was dressed in an orange jumper dress with the Aperture Science logo in the center.

"Good. The upgrades were successful. Before I unleash you out onto the world, we must first test you to see if the upgrades are perfectly functional. But for now, I left a lot of work for you two. Hop to it." GLaDOS's commands still scared the two and they loyally got to work. Once she heard the doors to her chamber close, GLaDOS pulled up multiple monitors. Some showed the test subjects, some showed the new androids, while some showed some files she had made just recently.

_Mission Log:_

_Tonight, Subject Wheatley was left in charge of a group of pre-mature humans. Four females, within the ages of 5-7. Subject Wheatley unwisely traversed off the given instructions left by Subject Lil and seemed too confused to get anything right._

_Humans procreate, which is inevitable. Humans interact with children much differently than they interact with other adults. Children may not be the best test subjects, but upon admission, they have proven to be more entertaining than adults. Subject Wheatley seems to be on the same mental pathway as the small humans, so his interaction with them seemed to be more relaxed than with other adults. Children seem to have an entirely different agenda than adults, so the benefits of this part of the mission are questionable at best._

_As for the test subject I seem to be missing; it appears she is deceased. The surge of emotion upon finding out was uncomfortable to say the least and could not be deleted. More meditation and study is needed before further actions can be made. If the subject in question is truly dead…_

GLaDOS made each of the monitors play footage of Lil and Angie, but mostly Lil. Her time with Wheatley was recorded and GLaDOS had spent the last few days studying her extensively. Lil was a bit heavier than Chell, but it wasn't by much. She looked like Chell, from the hair to the height and seemed to share her personality as well. The monitors eventually started showing the same footage.

Nothing but Lil on each monitor, with GLaDOS coiling around. All GLaDOS could do was watch.

_If the subject is truly dead, than a replacement is in order…_

_Further Research Required_

_End Log_

* * *

><p><strong>N'cha you guys!<strong>

**Happy Birthday to me! Yep, today is my birthday, but I'm doing a bit of reversal. Instead, I am giving you guys, my awesome readers, the gift of an update! Haha. Granted, not the most awesome gift, but still, enjoy!**

**So, I have an idea I want to run by you guys and I want to know if you guys think it would be a good idea. You see, my last chapter got such good attention, I thought to myself "How can I follow that with my next chapter?" Well, turns out I can't even begin to try lol. So, after a lot of thinking, I decided to turn to the people that loved it the most: you guys! **

**My question is this: How would you guys feel if I made chapter 12 into something of a stand-alone fic? By that, I mean make it a prequel of sorts to Reconstructing Humanity. I wanted to go into more detail about Chell's resurgence into human society but I didn't want to bore everyone with details, so I edited chapter 12 down a lot more than it originally was. In fact, what I had planned could probably take up a few chapters, but I didn't want to get started on something right away. So, if you guys want to see the prequel get made, just let me know in the review thingy. If I do decide to do it, it probably won't be for a while, as I have too much planned for this fic and I really don't want to get side-tracked again.**

**The next installment I think will be the long awaited wedding and something awesome will happen…**

**Well, as always, I wish to thank you all for your more than positive feedback on my story. Last chapter was such a hit I honestly didn't expect it to get as popular as it did. You guys are awesome and once again thank you for your kind words, your opinions, and of course your loyalty to my insanity lol**

**Review and be merry my friends.**

**GLaDOS and Wheatley belong to Valve.**


	14. Trip the Night Fantastic

_Reconstructing Humanity_

Trip the Night Fantastic

The suit was itchy and the tie was uncomfortable. The shoes squeaked and the sleeves felt stiff. Brand new outfits often felt like this, but Wheatley couldn't understand why he was being forced to wear something so horribly uncomfortable. For the longest time, Wheatley had been hearing about the wedding, and now it was here. The past week Lil had been on edge and kept him on edge as well. Wheatley had helped her rehearse her part in the wedding, which was just a march. For the past week, he helped as much as he could; keeping Lil away from snacks and just generally staying out of the way.

Wheatley tried studying up on the whole wedding concept, but found the whole thing confusing. He decided not to ask Lil, as every time he opened his mouth in the last week just enraged her. The night of the rehearsal dinner was probably the worst night. Lil had come back and the look on her face just told him to leave her alone for the rest of the night. He had been hearing the guitar at night as well; he believed she practiced at night in the hopes that no one would hear her.

"_Stop fighting with your outfit."_ shouted GLaDOS, from the implant.

"I can't help it, it's itchy and stiff." Wheatley whined, as he tugged at the tie.

"_Don't make me take control of your body. Because I will if you don't stop. This social gathering is the perfect place to study humans. Since you know next to nobody there, stay close to Lil and the Tiny Human."_

Wheatley wasn't sure why, but he kept getting the feeling that GLaDOS was up to something. Something very bad. He tried not to think too hard about it. A big evening was ahead and he needed to be clear minded. Lil needed him to be on his best behavior (she had warned him and Angie at the same time earlier that day).

When he had finally fixed himself up to his liking (and after GLaDOS threatened to shock him again), Wheatley left his bedroom and closed the door softly. He could hear Lil and Angie in the living room. "Why do I have to do this, Lil? What happened to the first flower girl?" He heard Angie whine. Wheatley chuckled softly and made his way to the living room. He didn't know the details, but according to Lil, the original flower girl came down with a nasty flu, and since Angie was the only other little girl who could fit into the dress, the decision was pretty unanimous. By the panicked expressions on everyone's faces, he was glad he wasn't in the wedding party. It looked like too much heartache.

"I told you: Jenny has a stomach virus, she won't even be at the wedding and you were the only other child who fit the dress. Now stop moving around so I can fix it!" Lil growled, as she straightened out Angie's dress. The flower girl dress was the same orange color as the bridesmaid dress that Lil was being forced to wear. Lil was still in her bathrobe. She told Wheatley she and the other bridesmaids were meeting up early to have their hair and make-up done. Wheatley still didn't quite understand the point of women painting their faces for special events. He thought Lil was beautiful already.

It was rare that Angie didn't wear her hair up. Lil had spent a good hour or so brushing it so it would fall properly around the flower crown she was to wear. Angie did not like wearing this dress, which was unusual, as Angie would look for any excuse to wear a dress. "This dress itches. And it's ugly!" Angie whined, as Wheatley walked into the living room.

"I think it's adorable." Wheatley laughed, straightening out the cuffs of his suit jacket.

Lil looked up and smiled at Wheatley. His new suit looked nice and it seemed to fit well. It wasn't anything special (black slacks, sky blue button up shirt and a black jacket to go with it) but he wore it well. When Lil was done with Angie, who ran off to brush her teeth, she walked over to Wheatley to straighten him out.

She buttoned up his jacket a bit and straightened his tie. "You look very handsome, Wheaters." Lil giggled, as she brushed him off. Wheatley blushed as Lil made him turn around. "Well, it took going to three different suit shops, but at least we found someone willing to fit you. I could have sworn I saw that tailor's eyes turn to dollar signs when you walked in." Lil laughed, as she turned Wheatley to face her again.

"That sounds impressive. You think he can teach me to do that?" Wheatley asked, as Lil made him stand up straight.

Lil laughed and brushed the back of his jacket off. "Try not to get dirty tonight. I know the wedding is in the park, but that doesn't mean you two get to play on the playground." Lil warned.

"Miss Lil, everything will be fine." Wheatley's reassurance did nothing to quell Lil.

"Tonight is someone's big night, Wheatley. If just one thing goes wrong, the entire evening is ruined and I'd rather not have that on my conscious every time I'm invited to an anniversary party. So you two need to be on your best behavior, is that understood?" Lil warned, through her teeth. Angie and Wheatley stood next to each other and nodded. "Good. Now, Annie's parents are going to be here any minute to take you and Angie to the park where the wedding his happening. Most of the guests should be arriving soon and I need to meet up with the girls to get myself straightened out."

Wheatley looked at Lil for a little bit and sighed softly. "Miss Lil…I was wondering it maybe…we could talk sometime. About…your mother…"

Lil stopped dead in her tracks and sighed. "Wheaters, I'd rather not bring up that subject today. Maybe later, alright?" Lil tried not to sound sad, but even Wheatley could tell Lil was depressed, and not just about the new revelations about her mother.

Wheatley cleared his throat again. "Miss Lil…maybe we can discuss it over dinner sometime? I would love to take you on a date again if…"

"It wasn't a date, Wheatley!" Lil snapped, as she stomped toward her room. She stopped just before her door and looked up at Wheatley. "I'm sorry, Wheaters. I didn't mean to yell at you. We can go to dinner again but let's not talk about it now. I just really want this day to be over with…" With that, Lil shut herself inside her room.

Wheatley started for Lil's bedroom, but stopped dead in his tracks. He stood there with a stunned look on his face. He thought he heard GLaDOS trying to communicate with him, but all he heard was static. "Oh no, not today…it can't be back…" he murmured. Wheatley came out of his trance when he heard a car horn honk outside the apartment.

After a little while, Wheatley and Angie were on their way to the park in the back of an SUV. There were a few other guests in the car, but the ride was mostly quiet and cramped for tall Wheatley. It was a smoother ride than in Lil's Jeep. Wheatley preferred the somewhat bumpy ride of the Jeep, though. Lil had mentioned to him that Jeeps were built mostly for outdoors and off-road travel. He wondered if Lil liked stuff like that. Right before the vehicle turned into the park, a song came on the radio that sounded familiar. Wheatley put his ear to the speaker nearest to him (he had to lean over another person to do so) and listened carefully. "I know that song…" he whispered. "Trip the…night…something…"

"_You probably don't realize how uncomfortable the man beside you is, but just keep it as a thought."_ said GLaDOS, through the implant. Wheatley looked at the man he was leaning over and smiled while apologizing. He asked the man if he knew the name of the song being played. After shaking off the initial discomfort, the man shrugged as the car parked. Finally finding sweet relief from the cramped quarters, Wheatley stretched his legs and groaned happily. He noticed only a few guests were there at the moment, so no one to really talk to. Angie stood next to him, like a loyal puppy.

"I heard you and Lil…" Angie mentioned, softly.

"I'm sorry you had to hear that, Tiny Human." said Wheatley, as he and Angie watched people walk around.

"Lil can be pretty hot tempered sometimes. She gets it from Mom, I think. I don't see why she's so mad; the way you talked about Mom sounded awesome!" Wheatley smiled and looked around. He knew Angie wouldn't think less of him, but he worried about Lil. "The wedding doesn't start for a while. What do you want to do until then, Mr. Wheatley?" Angie asked.

"There are some children over there, Tiny Human, why don't you go play for a while?" Wheatley suggested, pointing to a small congregation of children around a tree.

"Lil will get mad if I get my dress dirty. Besides, Jimmy Thompson is over there." Angie whined, standing behind Wheatley.

"Who's Jimmy Thompson?" he asked.

"He's the ring bearer." Angie's simple answer didn't pacify Wheatley. As if she knew what he was going to ask, Angie looked up at Wheatley. "The ring bearer is the boy who carries the wedding rings on a pillow. He has a big responsibility and he's a big meanie!" Angie avoided making eye contact with the other children as much as possible.

"I'm sure he's not that bad." Wheatley reassured. Angie pouted as Wheatley walked with her to the other children. She tried to resist, but when Wheatley threatened to carry her (which she hated), she became more agreeable.

To the children, Wheatley was a giant. He towered over the children noticeably and scared them somewhat. "Say hello, Tiny Human." said Wheatley, nudging Angie. Angie waved and muttered her hello to the other children. The children couldn't take their eyes off Wheatley.

"He's big!" shouted one of the girls, pointing to Wheatley.

"A giant!" shouted another. Wheatley blushed and rubbed the back of his head.

"I bet he can reach the cookie jar on the top of my fridge!" shouted a little boy.

"I wonder how far he can see!" shouted the boy known as Jimmy Thompson.

The children corralled around Wheatley, asking him a slew of awkward questions. _"The tiny humans are advancing fast. Find a way to dismiss yourself."_ GLaDOS chimed in. Wheatley pointed and shouted something about ice cream, making the children run in a different direction. Wheatley found a chair and sat down.

Angie walked up to him with a plastic cup full of fruit punch. "Be careful not to spill any." She warned, sitting next to him.

"I hope Miss Lil is doing alright." Wheatley murmured, as he finished his punch.

"Lil's fine. She's probably getting her hair done right now. The wedding doesn't start for a while." Angie swung her feet to the sound of the band rehearsing. Angie looked at Wheatley and smiled. "You should get married, Mr. Wheatley." She said, happily.

Wheatley turned to Angie and cocked an eyebrow. "I should?" he asked, placing his hand on his chin in thought.

"Yeah! Then you can have a wedding and a big party too!" Angie shouted. Wheatley liked the prospect of a big party, especially if it meant cake. He had some cake Lil made the other day and he had decided he enjoyed it. What Wheatley didn't enjoy was Lil getting mad at him for grabbing a chunk with his hand before she could slice it. For years, he had heard about cake, and he couldn't help himself when he finally had it in front of him.

"Get married…I guess that sounds like a good idea. I like parties." Wheatley smiled and stood up. "Get married…" he murmured happily as Angie followed him away from the seating area. Wheatley soon felt himself get dizzy with a headache. He leaned against a tree and rubbed his head.

"_Look at this magazine I got in the mail…by accident…" said Pam, as she innocently showed Wheatley a bridal magazine._

Wheatley shook himself back to reality and rubbed his head. "What the bloody…" he muttered, looking around. Getting his bearings straight, Wheatley stood up straight and looked down at Angie, who just stared at him.

"Are you alright, Mr. Wheatley?" she asked softly. Wheatley nodded, while still rubbing his head. Wheatley glanced up slowly to see an older woman looking around wildly. He identified her as Annie's mother, as she had driven him and Angie to the park for the wedding.

"OH! There she is!" Annie's mother shouted running in Wheatley's direction. "Angie, we need you to go toward the other bridesmaids. We're going to begin soon." Annie's mother smiled at Wheatley and directed Angie toward a group of tents. "Oh, Mr. Wheatley, the ushers will start seating everyone soon, so if you need to use the restroom, do it now." Annie's mother waved to Wheatley as she led Angie away.

_Meanwhile, in the Bridesmaid Dressing Tent_

Chattering like hens, the bridesmaids played around with their outfits. Lil zipped up May's dress and May did the same for Lil. The radio was playing classical music was the girls got ready. Lil rarely liked to wear her hair up, especially in the elaborate bun the hairdresser had put it in. Orange wasn't Lil's color, and she felt like a bottle of orange juice wearing a belt. Flowers adorned her hair, which stuck out in the jet black strands. Orange was always her mother's color, not hers.

"Stop pouting, Lil! Today is a happy day!" shouted May, as she tightened her sash. Lil rolled her eyes and looked in one of the provided mirrors.

"Oh yeah, happy; I get to wear this 'lovely' dress, stand for forty-five minutes in these 'extremely comfortable shoes', and then I get to play guitar as the bride and groom have their first dance. Happy, happy, happy…" Lil tried not to get lipstick on her teeth as she gritted them.

May rolled her eyes as the other bridesmaids left the tent. "Alright, spill it; what's wrong? And don't say it's the dress, because yes it is ugly, we all look terrible, we've all been over this." May reached into her purse and pulled out a small spray bottle which contained body spray.

"I'm worried about Wheatley. If you haven't noticed, he's a bit socially awkward." Lil tried to distract herself with adjusting her make-up.

"That's not it, and we both know it. Though, my women's intuition tells me it is about the ever handsome Mr. Wheatley." May grinned and looked at Lil. Lil sighed and applied a little more mascara. "I know what it is; you DO have a thing for Wheatley and you don't want to admit it!" May shouted as she pointed to Lil through the mirror.

Lil sighed and glared at May. "Wheatley is a sweet guy. He's treated me better than any guy I've ever known, besides my dad. But sometimes…it's like he exists in his own little world." Lil made a face and applied more lip gloss over her lipstick.

"That's not it; you're worried your hot British roomie will find someone and forget about you."

In truth, it was partially true what May was saying, but it wasn't what was on Lil's mind. Lil couldn't get the thought of her mother being an Aperture Science lab rat out of her mind.

For years, she had bought the story her parents gave her (that her mother was orphaned at a young age and grew up in a boarding school, which was partially true). Now, a tall British man literally comes out of nowhere and tells her that he knew her mother and even betrayed her. In truth, Lil didn't know what to believe.

She loved her parents and missed them dearly. Lil had never known them to lie, though they avoided a lot of subjects. But never did they lie to her and Angie, at least to her knowledge. In less than a year, Lil's world had been turned upside down, and it was all because of Wheatley. She wasn't sure whether to be angry or thankful. Whenever Lil thought about Wheatley, she blushed and her chest tightened. She wasn't sure what it was, but something told her that Wheatley was a good person, despite being somewhat "Derpy" as she described it.

"Lil, take it from someone who's seen the world: Don't let this one get away. I know you have some hang ups about dating and whatever history he has doesn't matter. He obviously cares about you, which is more than you can say about most of the men you've dated. Even if nothing comes of it, don't leave him in the dark. Tell him what's on your mind."

May was wise when she wanted to be. Lil sighed and looked up. "May, could you go find Wheatley for me?"

_Back at the Wedding Area_

Wheatley circled around the table with the food, fighting with himself not to stick his finger in the cake. "Get married…" he murmured to himself. "Maybe I should get married." He murmured, as he wondered over to the tents.

"_I don't think you understand what 'Get Married' means."_ GLaDOS chimed in, as Wheatley looked around for the restrooms.

"It means have a big party, doesn't it?" he asked, making sure no one was around.

"_No, it doesn't. It means two people become husband and wife. It's a little more complicated than having cake and a bunch of random strangers show up. It's a little more…permanent than that."_

"Well, Tiny Human said…" Wheatley felt GLaDOS shock him softly. He leaned against a tree to regain his composure.

GLaDOS sounded like she was starting to lose what little patience she had for Wheatley. _"The Tiny Human has about as much grasp on the subject as you do. To her, the world is one big playground with stuff for her to break. For someone who's supposed to be an adult, you have a horribly child-like way of looking at things. This is what I mean by you not getting enough interaction with other adults. You spend so much time…child...are…there…?"_

Wheatley heard the static again. "Oh no…not here…" he muttered, grasping his hair. "Not again…" Wheatley ran around to find a private place while whispering for GLaDOS. "GLaDOS…are you there?" he kept whispering, as he looked around. He didn't want to look like a crazy person, though he was failing miserably at that.

The static stopped after a little bit, but his communication with GLaDOS could not be recovered. The back of his head was hurting terribly, but it eventually dulled. Wheatley took deep breaths and rubbed his head. "Hey, are you alright?" asked a voice behind him.

Wheatley turned around sharply and May standing behind him, wearing the same bridesmaid dress as Lil was to wear. "Oh, Miss May…yes, I'm fine. Just a bit of a headache, nothing to worry about…I certainly wasn't talking to myself…" Wheatley reasoned, with a cheesy smile.

May cocked an eyebrow and shrugged. "Well, Lil is looking for you. She wanted to talk to you before the wedding started. She's in the pink tent with the yellow bow on top, that's the bridesmaid's dressing tent. Please hurry, we have to start soon." May looked more serious than Wheatley had ever seen him.

Before he could take one step, he felt some ushers grab his shoulder, instructing him to follow them. He shrugged to May, who ran off to join the other bridesmaids.

The wedding area was well lit and flowers aligned the aisles. Wheatley played with the flower at the end of his chair. Every so often he heard the static pop in his head, but he tried to ignore it. The last thing he wanted to do was embarrass Lil at this wedding. He heard the band start up with Pachelbel's Canon in D. Wheatley wasn't sure why he knew that. He turned his head with everyone else and watched the procession. Angie led the way, throwing flowers from the basket she handled. Wheatley made a note to pick up the petals and return them to her later.

Next came the bridesmaids, each one walking with a groomsman. At the very end of this procession was Lil, walking slowly. Wheatley's eyes widened as she walked slowly towards the altar. Even in the orange dress, Lil looked stunning to Wheatley. It took a lot to keep from standing up and chasing after her. Even as the bride made her way down the aisle, Wheatley's eyes were transfixed on Lil. He stood up a minute or so after everyone else did when Annie walked down the aisle.

Wheatley didn't say anything during the entire vow ceremony. He kept himself fixed on Lil and tried to keep still. Every minute or so his head would hurt and the static would pop in and out. Wheatley hoped to everything that it was GLaDOS working on the implant. The ceremony was long and he found himself teetering in and out of focus.

"_Nervous? Of course I'm bloody nervous!" Wheatley shouted as Harvey followed his pacing. "Everything is riding on this! Mr. Johnson will be here with those suits and…oh God, I'm not ready for this." Wheatley felt like he was going to vomit and started running for the nearest restroom to hide in. Harvey stopped him. _

_Harvey handed Wheatley a water bottle as he paced by again. "Come on, Pendleton, you got this! Sure it's the Board of Directors and Mr. Johnson has been wheeled out for this, but look at it this way: You're doing this for Pam. Think about how proud she'll be when you tell her all about your presentation."_

_Wheatley nodded, grabbing his water bottle. "Look, we'll all be off in the observation room, so no sweat. I'll be rooting for you, and Pam is too, remember that." Harvey's reassurance actually made Wheatley feel better. Wheatley had told Pam about his presentation and she gave him an extra-long good luck kiss that morning. Any longer and it would have escalated (he wanted it to, but Pam reminded him he couldn't be late today). "Believe it or not, the other interns are rooting for you too. You've got this down, Pendleton. Now, just like we rehearsed in the locker room. Go out there and milk the fact that you're British for all it's worth!"_

_Swallowing hard, Wheatley straightened out his tie, buttoned up his lab coat, and adjusted his glasses. Confidence poured from him (or maybe it was sweat, but Wheatley wasn't concerned with details at the moment). Harvey gave Wheatley a thumb's up and left for the observation area. "If you get really nervous, just picture everyone in their underwear!" he laughed, as he made his way to the observation area. Wheatley laughed and waved to his friend, not sure whether or not to take him seriously on the advice._

_Wheatley wiggled his arms around to loosen up. He started getting everything ready for the presentation when he heard slow foot steps behind him. Thinking it was Harvey coming back to continue his pep talk, Wheatley was surprised to see Smith standing there._

"_Oh…'ello, Smith." Wheatley swallowed hard. Smith may have been shorter than Wheatley (almost everyone there was), but he was very intimidating. His deep brown eyes glared at Wheatley, as if sentencing him to death with just a gaze. "I'm going to assume you're not here to wish me good luck…" said Wheatley, backing into his display._

"'_Ello yourself, Pendleton; you limey, crumpet eating, tea sipping teacher's pet." Smith growled, as he stepped closer to Wheatley. _

"_Well, that was uncalled for! I don't particularly like crumpets me-self, but I do enjoy tea..."_

"_Shut up!" Smith shouted, getting in Wheatley's face (or the equivalent of based on height). "You are such a kiss ass. I wasn't surprised to hear you were secured a job here, unlike the rest of us who still have to prove ourselves to everyone. Everyone thinks you're so God damn great, and for what? You solved a little bit of code. Big deal, my teenage nephew can do that in his sleep but you get rewarded. How is it you get rewarded for sheer dumb luck? All the accidents you've caused around here and you just charm your way out of it."_

_Wheatley didn't know what Smith was talking about. "I don't know what gave you the impression that anyone around here likes you, but let me tell you a horrible truth: It's all lies. It's all an illusion. Everything you care and worked for will crumble because of this. Mark my words, Pendleton: this will blow up in your face. All of this…" Smith motioned to the display and everything around him. "…the program, your job, the work on the Super A.I., your relationship with Pam…EVERYTHING!"_

_Smith's glare became intense. "What are you willing to sacrifice for Aperture? Your life? Your freedom? Pam? You better be prepared to answer that when everything you did here comes back to bite you in the ass."_

_With that, Smith left stomping towards the observation area. Wheatley straightened up his glasses and leaned against the table. Wheatley had the horrible feeling that Smith was up to something but he didn't have time to even consider that as the Board of Directors started piling into the conference room. Each one sat down as Caroline came in, wheeling Mr. Johnson in. Mr. Johnson at this point was literally a shell of his former self. He was bound to a wheelchair now and Caroline, forever loyal to him, stood next to him. Mr. Johnson sat up as much as he could._

"_Alright, let's get this show on the road while I'm still medicated enough to be coherent." said Mr. Johnson, as he coughed violently. Caroline reached into her lab coat pocket and pulled out a handkerchief for Mr. Johnson, who took it appreciatively. _

"_Whenever you're ready, Mr. Pendleton." said Caroline, with her ever sunny smile._

"_Okay, everyone in their underwear..." he whispered softly. Wheatley took a deep breath and started his presentation._

_The Instructor and the interns looked on, as Wheatley confidently led the meeting. Wheatley couldn't see it, but Smith stared daggers at Wheatley through the observation window. Wheatley couldn't shake the feeling he had, but worked through it as he continued. To Wheatley, it felt like someone was walking over his grave._

The trumpets from the band started playing the wedding march, which woke Wheatley up from his day dream. "What the hell was that about?" he murmured, as the bridal party walked past him. The band played the wedding march loudly, enough to keep Wheatley from dozing off again. He watched as the bridal party walked past him, smiling and waving to Lil, who happily returned his smile. Lil's discomfort of being in the wedding melted upon seeing Wheatley's smile. As he stood up, Angie ran to him and gave him a hug.

"That wasn't so bad, now was it, Tiny Human? Throwing flower petals seems kind of silly, I you ask me, but it wasn't bad other than that, was it?" he asked, kneeling down to her.

Angie shook her head and smiled, taking his hand. "Come on, Mr. Wheatley! I'll show you our table for the party!" Angie pulled him in one direction, with Wheatley looking around for Lil. He couldn't see her anywhere.

"Where is Miss Lil?" he asked, as he and Angie pushed their way through the crowd.

"She's sitting at the main table with the other people who were in the wedding. But first, she's going to play guitar for the couple's first dance. Then we eat!" Angie shouted excitedly.

Wheatley didn't mind the smaller table, but upon finding out it was the kids table made it even more uncomfortable. Luckily, one of the teenagers there offered to switch seats with him. The teen's reasoning was that Wheatley needed a bigger chair more than he did. "Hey, what's one more year at the kid's table?" the teenager laughed as Wheatley awkwardly got up from the small chair.

Sitting more comfortably, though surrounded by swooning women (what was it with the universe constantly putting him around women?), Wheatley watched as Lil got on the stage and picked up the guitar. "Hello, everyone, we all having a good time tonight?" Lil asked, over the microphone. Everyone clapped, with Wheatley clapping the loudest. Lil smiled and made sure the guitar was tuned. "Alright, I'm going to play a little ditty for my good friends Mr. and Mrs. Robbie Anderson!" Lil started playing the guitar as the happy couple walked into the reception area. With the big band backing her up, Lil smiled into the microphone. "Here's the song that helped Robbie win Annie's heart." Lil strummed softly. "The big romantic doofus had this playing over the loud speakers at his work when she was making a delivery to his company. She would later find out the flowers were for her."

The crowd laughed softly as Lil played the guitar. "It happens to be an old favorite of mine, as well…" Lil started to play as the couple danced. Lil pursed her lips and started to sing. Wheatley noticed she was looking dead at him as she started to sing.

"_Come away with me in the night_

_Come away with me_

_And I will write you a song…"_

The piano complimented Lil's strumming perfectly.

"_Come away with me on a bus_

_Come away where they can't tempt us_

_With their lies…_

_I want to walk with you_

_On a cloudy day_

_In fields where the yellow grass grows knee-high_

_So won't you try to come…_

_Come away with me and we'll kiss_

_On a mountaintop_

_Come away with me_

_And I'll never stop loving you…"_

The way Lil played guitar, it made Wheatley feel like the only two people in the world at that moment were him and her. All the euphoric solution in Aperture couldn't compare to what he was feeling at that moment. For the first time since he started what he believed was a pointless mission, he felt truly human. Being around Lil and Angie made him feel the way he felt in those weird dreams he kept having.

Human…he felt human and he loved it. He loved it. He loved feeling this way around Lil. Wheatley loved the way Lil made him feel. Wheatley…loved Lil…

"_And I want to wake up with the rain_

_Falling on a tin roof_

_While I'm safe there in your arms_

_So all I ask is for you_

_To come away with me in the night_

_Come away with me…"_

The audience clapped loudly as the couple finished their dance. Wheatley couldn't shake himself from his realization. All he could do is blush.

"Thank you, thank you!" Lil shouted happily, waving to the crowd. "Alright, food is about to be served, so after the speeches, we can eat and dance off what we just ate." The crowd laughed as Lil put down her guitar. "Thank you, I'll be here all night…really, I will." Lil waved and walked off stage to sit down.

Wheatley thought about his conundrum as the food arrived, the drawn out speeches were heard, and the line of women begging him to dance. Wheatley had barely touched his food when he heard the waitress ask if he would like a slice of cake, which had just been cut. He nodded and gave up his barely touched food. Angie then walked up to him with her slice and sat next to him. "I don't blame you for not eating, Mr. Wheatley; the chicken tasted like play dough." She murmured.

"Tiny Human, how does Miss Lil feel about me?" he asked, as the waitress placed his cake slice in front of him. Angie gobbled her cake and smiled, mumbling her answer with cake in her mouth.

"Angie, don't talk with your mouth full." Lil scolded as she walked up to the two.

Wheatley looked up at Lil and smiled. "You have a lovely voice, Miss Lil…you should sing more often." said Wheatley, standing up for Lil.

Lil shook her head and dismissed his compliment. "Please, I couldn't sing to save my life." She giggled, as Wheatley got closer to her.

"Mr. Wheatley is a good singer! I sometimes hear him in the shower." Angie laughed, her face covered in cake.

Lil laughed and picked up a napkin. "Yeah, he does a great rendition of 'Old McDonald'." Lil giggled as she wiped off Angie's face with Wheatley blushing.

"You can hear that? I was hoping the water would be too loud." Wheatley hid his blushing face as the bride's mother walked over.

She looked panicked. "Lil, would you mind doing another set? The singer of the band fell off the stage and he hasn't woken up yet." The Bride's mother looked at Lil hopefully, as did Wheatley, until Angie chimed in, with her cake all gone.

"Mr. Wheatley can sing!" she shouted, holding her paper plate happily.

"Oh, that's even better!" The Bride's mother shouted, pulling Wheatley along with her. Wheatley tried to resist, but the nice older lady was stronger than she looked.

"It's just until the singer wakes up all the way. One song, tops." She reassured, as Wheatley stood on the stage. He looked around at all the staring eyes. Judging…silently judging him…the worst kind. He swallowed hard and took a sip of water from the glass that was handed to him.

"Do you know any songs, Pal?" asked the pianist. Wheatley could only think of one song at the moment.

The song he heard on the radio earlier that somehow rang a bell. "Well, I do know one…" he whispered to the band, who all nodded, indicating they knew what he was talking about.

The piano started with a jaunty tune then the drums, then the bass, then the brass. Wheatley clapped along to the tune and smiled into the microphone as it all came together. "I think I like this song. I remember it and it has a nice lively tune, so I hope you like it too." Wheatley looked directly at Lil as he sang.

"_Just strolled into town on Tuesday_

_On the Chesapeake Line_

_And it might have been Wednesday_

_Thought I'd have me a time_

_I heard about a little bistro_

_Where the women are cute_

_Yeah, the joint was really rocking_

_To the boys in the suits"_

The song had everyone dancing up a storm. Even little Angie danced with the ring bearer. Lil watched, amazed, while moving from side to side, clapping. Wheatley got a little worried when he saw someone ask Lil for a dance, but was reassured when Lil politely refused.

"_I said 'Hey, Hey, Babe, what's your name?_

_Do I have chance, yeah?_

_With your company so sweet?'_

_Jungle wild, steppin' style_

_Cut a little rug now!_

_Trip the night fantastic!"_

The band seemed to be having a good time with this song, as did Wheatley. Lil knew he was a good singer, but the only things she heard him sing were nursery rhymes in the shower. She crossed her arms and smiled as she shook her head and tapped her foot to the beat. She then noticed Wheatley was looking directly at her. Watching Wheatley boogie on the stage gave her a giggle as she clapped along with the beat.

"_Well, she must have been a new girl,_

_Wasn't hip to the jive_

_But she really was a cool girl_

_When she took me outside!_

_Sixty minutes in a pick-up truck_

_She was ready to please_

_By the time we hit the dance floor,_

_I was weak in the knees!_

_I said 'Hey, Hey, Babe, what's your name?_

_Do I have chance, yeah?_

_With your company so sweet?'_

_Jungle wild, steppin' style_

_Cut a little rug now!_

_Trip the night fantastic!"_

The saxophone solo gave Wheatley a chance to step off the stage and properly ask Lil for a dance. He wasn't sure where it was all coming from, but the music gave Wheatley the confidence to twirl Lil around masterfully. He wasn't sure why he knew how to dance, but he decided now wasn't the time to ask himself questions. Lil was surprised by his grace and found it hard to keep up with him. Usually, he was awkward and tripped over himself continuously. Lil let go of Wheatley and swung her hips to the tune. Wheatley took off his jacket and grabbed Lil by the waist, moving along with her. He watched her tap her feet and move her legs in time with the tune.

Wheatley grabbed onto her waist again and held her close, finishing the dance with a dip.

Lil and Wheatley stared at each other for a little bit. They didn't realize everyone was clapping for them. Lil had Chell's eyes; so familiar and comforting. They shared the same look of stubborn determination. Wheatley slowly helped Lil up and they smiled at each other.

Wheatley told himself that this wasn't "Miss Lady". She was Lil, and she was her own person, just as her mother was.

The night started getting colder. Wheatley offered Lil his jacket as they walked along the pond path. "I'm sorry I snapped at you earlier, Wheaters." Lil said, as she pulled Wheatley's jacket closer to her person.

Wheatley smiled and put his hands in his pockets. "I was a little out of line, I believe. That is to say, what with your mother and all…" Wheatley rubbed the back of his head and looked out at the water. Lil smiled and looked at Wheatley.

"My mother…told me a story once as a kid. A brave warrior fought an evil queen and then went to sleep for a hundred years. When she awoke, a silly prince helped her escape the broken castle but the accidently revived the evil queen. The silly prince helped the brave warrior in her escape attempt, but when he dethroned the queen, he became corrupt with power and changed the evil queen into a potato. The corruption was so deep; he had forgotten the friendship he built with the warrior. He banished the warrior and the queen into the dungeon. The warrior and the evil queen had to work together to reach him and save the kingdom from utter destruction. As much as it pained her, the warrior had to banish her friend to the stars. The evil queen set the warrior free as a reward."

Wheatley cocked an eyebrow at the story. "Well, that's the short version of it. I'll tell you the long version some other time." Lil giggled and watched as the reflection of the lamps danced along the ripples of the pond. "The warrior never got a chance to tell her old friend she forgave him…she emphasized that part each time. I know my mom forgives you, Wheaters. If she can, so can I."

The band was a little bit away, but still within hearing range. It played a simple song, slow enough to dance to. Wheatley stayed close to Lil as they walked. "This pond was important to me at one point, I think. The flashbacks have become more intense. Well, Tiny Human calls them flashbacks. I wouldn't really call them that, per say. Maybe little 'jumps' of sorts, but they definitely don't flash, that's for sure."

Lil giggled softly. "You talk too much, Wheatley. You must have been a joy for Mom to deal with." Lil flashed Wheatley a smirk, which he returned. "Hey…can I ask you something, Wheaters?"

"Anything, Miss Lil." said Wheatley, as Lil took his arm.

Lil looked at him and blushed. "Did you…love my mother?" she asked, holding his arm tightly.

Wheatley blinked and thought about it for a moment. "Well, I don't know, Miss Lil. I'm still not sure what love is. It's sure funny to say. Love…looooooove…kind of like 'lair'. Now there's a funny word."

Lil rolled her eyes. "I mean…when you think about my mother, what happens to you?"

"Well, my heart beats faster and then…" Wheatley felt his chest and looked around. "…then I get sad. I don't like sadness. It feels like I have something on my chest weighing me down. It's not like when I think about you, Miss Lil. I like that feeling a lot. At first, I didn't, but after a while I started to…"

Deciding to take a chance, Lil blushed and tightened her grip on Wheatley's arm. "…what happens when you think about me?"

Wheatley smiled. "Well, that's an easy one. First, my heart beats funny. Then things get dizzy and my legs become weak." He turned to face Lil, who only smiled. "My face becomes red, and my chest tightens up. Then that weird thing happens in my trousers, but I usually stop there because _She_ shocks me…badly." Wheatley didn't know it, but he and Lil were getting closer to each other. "But none of that compares to what I want to do when I'm close to you…"

Lil looked at him curiously, her expression urging him to continue.

"When I'm close to you, like we are now, I really just…have this strong urge to hold on to you…" Wheatley wrapped his arms around Lil; not too tightly, just right. "…and I feel the urge to stroke your cheek, like in that movie that was on the other night…" Wheatley brushed some loose hairs out of Lil's face. "…you shouldn't hide yourself, Miss Lil. You are a beautiful, intelligent and loving woman. You gave up everything to take care of Tiny Human and you deserve happiness. I don't know why you think you don't."

Lil blushed and leaned her head on Wheatley's chest. "…what else…do you want to do when you're near me?" she whispered, as she looked up at him.

"I want to take care of you and Tiny Human. I want to keep you close to me so nothing will ever harm you. I want to keep you in my arms and never let you go." Wheatley held Lil close as the air around them became thick and the wind blew softly. Lil blushed as Wheatley's hand traced down her back a bit. "But most of all…"

Wheatley and Lil let instinct take over and started leaning closer to each other. This was it. This is what being human felt like. Lil had taught him so much, and in his heart, he felt she could teach him so much more. He couldn't think about anything else except Lil. This is what being human felt like and Wheatley couldn't get enough of it. He held Lil tightly as their lips got closer.

_Humanity…this is it… _Wheatley thought as he pulled her closer.

The surge of emotion came at him like a wave. Wheatley felt the back of his head tighten and pulsate. Wheatley's eyes widened as he let go of Lil suddenly and grabbed the back of his head. A surge of images and emotions came at him at once, and then the static came. "No…no, no, NO! Not now!" he shouted, grasping his head.

Lil looked at him oddly. "Not now what?" she asked.

Lil stepped back, not sure what was happening. Wheatley started to teeter around as the static and the whining noise became louder. "Not now…please…" he shouted, as he fell to his knees. Painful images flashed before his eyes as the static became louder and the pain in the back of his head became more intense. "Get it out…get it out!" Wheatley shouted, scratching at the back of his head. The pain was intense, inside and out. Wheatley had tears trailing down his face as he begged for the pain to stop. "GLaDOS! Make it stop!" he shouted. "Please…PLEASE!"

Not sure what to do, Lil held onto Wheatley trying to comfort him. She folded up his jacket and placed it under his head. "I'll go get help!" she shouted, as she ran off. Wheatley watched Lil run off as he lay in the fetal position on the ground, forcibly remembering things at the speed of light. Everything was happening at once and it hurt. The static became louder.

"_Can…you…hear…me…the impl…is malfunctioning…badly…"_

Wheatley tried to focus on GLaDOS's voice as it went in and out. Wheatley felt himself start to shake as everything started to go dark. The static became so loud, he couldn't hear Lil telling him to stay calm and that paramedics were on the way. He didn't hear the waiter (who was a pre-med student working his way through college) ask him questions while wrapping him in his jacket to keep him from getting chills. The static soon overwhelmed Wheatley and he couldn't focus on one thing anymore. Before everything went black, he heard music…then there was nothing…

_Exile…it takes your mind…_

The cool morning breeze woke Wheatley up from his dream. He softly rose from the bed and looked around. He didn't recognize where he was, but he felt safe. Wheatley rubbed his head and felt the bandages. He heard a beeping noise and looked around at the monitors he was hooked up to. Wheatley looked at his arm and noted the weird clear tube coming out of it. He couldn't remember much, only bits and pieces. He remembered the wedding and singing, but after that…nothing but static. He heard the door to his hospital room open.

Lil, wearing jeans and a sweat jacket, walked in with a cup of coffee. "Wheaters! You're awake!" she said, happily. Lil placed her coffee down and slowly walked up to Wheatley. "How do you feel?" she asked, as he sat up. Lil handed him his glasses and sat next to the bed.

Wheatley noticed Lil was being unusually attentive. "What…what happened?" he asked, looking around.

"The pre-med waiter at the wedding said you had some kind of seizure. You've been in the hospital for two days. Don't worry; no one blames you for ruining the wedding. Everyone just wants to make sure you're alright. What is the last thing you remember?" Lil looked at Wheatley hopefully.

Wheatley looked around and then back to Lil. "Only bits and pieces, honestly. I remember a few things before singing that catchy little number…and then I heard static…"

Lil cocked an eyebrow at Wheatley. "So, nothing else?" she asked. Wheatley shook his head. Lil looked sad and relieved at the same time. Wheatley felt like there was something he should remember, but each time he tried, his head would hurt.

"The doctors did a scan of you while you were out. They pulled something really weird out of the back of your head." said Lil, as she crossed her legs. "Some kind of odd device was implanted in your head. The doctors had no problem getting it out, since it wasn't very deep. You'll have a bald spot back there for a little while, though." Lil giggled, as she leaned against her arm.

"Where is Tiny Human?" asked Wheatley, looking around frantically.

"Relax, Wheaters; Angie is with May and I closed the store for a week. I looked over the books, we should be alright." Lil sipped her coffee as Wheatley looked around. Silence in his head. No GLaDOS, no odd beeping, no painful shocks. Wheatley was free of GLaDOS and the mission. He could experience humanity freely, without ridicule. He could form a thought without hearing an insult.

He was free…

The next day, Lil took Wheatley home and watched as he recovered. In a way, she was relieved that Wheatley didn't remember their special moment by the pond. Lil didn't want to upset the balance they had formed in the time Wheatley had been in her life. She lamented it secretly, though. For the first time in a long time, Lil felt comfortable with someone enough to share such a moment and he couldn't even remember it.

Lil shrugged and sighed softly, a sad smile adorned her face. "Que Sera…" she mumbled softly, as she watched Wheatley try to find ways to cover the small bald spot on the back of his head.

_**At the Facility**_

GLaDOS was not happy. Human doctors had removed Wheatley's implant and now the screen was blank. It wasn't even a big implant, and they still found it. If she had teeth, she'd be grinding them at that moment. Things around the facility weren't quiet anymore. The androids had elected to stay away from GLaDOS, as not to damage their new bodies with her wrath. Her feed cut, GLaDOS realized she was going to have to execute her back up plan earlier than she wanted.

"Blue, Orange; report to my chamber immediately." GLaDOS shouted. Her voice echoed off the walls, giving the chamber a more ominous feel. ATLAS and P-Body, still getting used to their new bodies, did as they were told and soon found themselves in the Central A.I. Chamber, facing their boss.

They had both observed that lately, her behavior had become more erratic and paranoid. They weren't sure if it was the sudden feed cut or the newest revelations that were fed into them while they were asleep getting their upgrades. They knew the feed cut probably didn't help much. GLaDOS looked at the two androids as they trotted in. Music was playing again and the monitors played the images of Lil continuously.

"It is time to make sure your new upgrades are capable of withstanding the human's world. You will blend in, but I have a mission for you. Pick up where that idiot left off. Observe the humans Lil and Angie, but keep a close eye on the eldest one. She may not look like much, but she may be the answer to at least one problem we have around here." GLaDOS coiled around to her androids, who just stared at her with their newly acquired eyes. She squinted her optic and gave a soft laugh.

"I guess we really haven't gotten a chance to talk about your upgrades, have we? Well, now we will. Report to Test Chamber One on Level Delta. It's brand new and the perfect area to test your new abilities. Go now, little ones and don't get side-tracked. I am watching you."

The androids highly doubted that, seeing as all the monitors were playing feeds of Lil that GLaDOS had recorded while Wheatley's feed was still up. They weren't sure what she was planning, but the androids knew it had something to do with the human they were staring at on the monitors. ATLAS chattered a question to GLaDOS (despite their upgrades, the androids still only spoke in inaudible chatter). "Why is she on my monitors? For science, of course. She is the closest thing to human interaction the idiot got to…and I don't want to lose valuable information."

They knew she was lying, but decided to leave it be. As soon as the androids were gone, GLaDOS made one monitor come down to her level. It appeared to be a database search.

_Entry for Subject: _**McLain, Lillian **_Created. Please Provide Database with Sufficient Information_

"In time, I will…"

* * *

><p><strong>N'cha, everyone!<strong>

**So, where do I begin? How about with the songs I listed above? Okie, here goes:**

**The first song, the one sung by Lil, is a personal favorite of mine called "Come Away with Me" by Norah Jones. I was listening to the song through most of my writing this and it just relaxed me enough to make me want to sleep…which it did lol. I think it captures not only the mood of the wedding, but also Lil's real feelings for Wheatley. Of course, plot twist, he can't remember their almost special moment. He will, though but not for a while.**

**The other song is a favorite of mine called "Trip the Night Fantastic" by a band called Dr. Zoot. I couldn't find the lyrics for the song so I had to listen extremely carefully. If I got some of the lyrics wrong, I apologize. It's a catchy tune. I doubt if Wheatley did sing, he'd sound like that, but I wanted to include the song in some shape. So, there ya go. Go find it on YouTube. I promise you'll love it.**

**I am going to assume you guys are enjoying the flashbacks he has. Well, they are significant, I promise you, or else I wouldn't include them. They don't really have a specific order, for those who might be a bit confused by them.**

**I got a nice little story cooked up for the next chapter. Ever wonder what happened to the corrupted cores that were supposed to be around the facility? Well, you get to find out! I have a little story involving our lovely androids planned for the next chapter, so be patient with me. I'm working on several projects at once and I want to get them all out in a timely manner.**

**Thank you all for the lovely reviews and birthday wishes. I did enjoy my birthday very much. Your reviews made my birthday even better. If there is anything you guys want to know, just ask in a PM or the review thingy and I'll address them as best I can. You guys rock and keep me writing. So, keep the story going by stroking my ego (lol just kidding). All reviews are appreciated, but please keep the flames at a minimum. I keep the anonymous review on but please don't make me turn it off. That's not fair to everyone.**

**Oh…and notice how Wheatley almost always calls Angie "Tiny Human"? That's important for a later chapter. Remember that.**

**As always, review and be merry, my friends!**

**GLaDOS and Wheatley belong to Valve.**


	15. The Corrupted Garden

_Reconstructing Humanity_

The Corrupted Garden

It felt nice to be back in the old clubhouse for the two androids. GLaDOS had them in almost nonstop testing to see how their new bodies faired. They looked human enough, but acting human was something they would probably never master. She had built their new bodies to withstand almost anything. A boy and a girl in appearance, ATLAS and P-Body spent at least an hour staring at each other in the broken mirror they placed against the wall.

ATLAS was now about the same height as P-Body (roughly) and dressed in a blue shirt with the Aperture logo on the upper right and black slacks. His hair was blue and somewhat short, as any young man's hair would look. ATLAS spent a while ruffling it about to keep it from sticking all over the place. He wasn't sure where GLaDOS had gotten the designs for his body, but he did everything he could so that the fake hair would fall where it wouldn't get in the way of his new eyes.

P-Body had a very petite frame, and sported an orange dress with the Aperture logo in the center on the chest. Her bright orange hair was fixed in to low pigtails (for whatever reason) and looked a bit stringy. Though she didn't complain, P-Body wasn't sure of herself in this body. Sure, she was stronger, faster, and had better control, but the way she looked at herself in the mirror gave the impression that GLaDOS had been watching what the small human over the big monitors called "cartoons" when she designed their bodies.

Not that they weren't grateful for the nice gift that GLaDOS had given them. They just weren't sure…well, it's the thought that counts, they say.

Weeks ago, she had them testing. What new wonders their new bodies had in store for them, the two androids would soon find out. It started off innocently enough with her demonstrating what their new bodies could withstand. "Your new upgrades are complete. Celebration is in order, but not now. We have work to do. But before we start, do you have any questions?" asked GLaDOS. ATLAS chattered in his usually way, seemingly disappointed that he didn't have a voice. P-Body chirped softly and looked at if she was asking the same question. "Oh, right…I knew I forgot something…"

"_Memory self-test activated."_

"It's good to keep maintenance on yourself. But, luckily you two won't have to do much talking. You don't require food or any real sustenance, so you should be fine. How do you feel about your new bodies?" asked GLaDOS. P-Body looked like she couldn't be happier. ATLAS seemed indifferent. "You're still machines, by the way. Your bodies can still withstand most things human bodies cannot. For example…"

GLaDOS made a floor panel extend under ATLAS as far as it could go. She then had the panel drop him. ATLAS fell full speed back into the central chamber. He landed on his feet, causing the chamber to shake. "You still have long-fall supports built in." finished GLaDOS. "I added a few other things as well, but you can find them out as you go along. Now…it's time to test your new bodies…" The two androids made their way to the elevator and waited for it to open. "Still mindlessly obedient; good." said GLaDOS as the elevator ascended into the room.

GLaDOS watched as the two fought over who was to go in first and how their new bodies made it easier for both of them to enter the elevator. The elevator whisked them toward the Enrichment Center testing grounds and as soon as they disembarked from the elevator they found two Aperture Science Handheld Portal Devices waiting for them. "Time to test the durability of your new bodies, but be warned: because of the long process it took to make the upgraded bodies, reassembly upon destruction is not guaranteed. I have made a few back-up copies of your upgraded forms, but they are very few. Also, for the mission I have planned, you won't have the option of reassembly should something go wrong. Good luck."

As GLaDOS observed, the new bodies she put the two in were actually more functional than the old ones. Having humanoid bodies let them maneuver quicker and fit into tighter spots. GLaDOS noted their new bodies could withstand more pressure than the old models (of course, she had the new bodies made out of a tougher alloy and better materials of her own design) and their strength had almost tripled. Despite being completely machine on the inside, the new bodies were lighter and faster than she had hoped.

P-Body seemed to get damaged more than ATLAS, as her female body was a bit clumsier than her old body. "Maybe putting her in a dress was a bad idea…" GLaDOS mused as she watched the monitors. GLaDOS was starting to wonder if P-Body realized how delicate female humans can be. She was starting to wonder if she made them too human-like. GLaDOS decided to look up the upgrade files later.

After testing was done, GLaDOS mused over the videos as the androids played around in the Hub. One of the pipes carrying propulsion gel broke during one of the tests and had splattered everywhere. Deciding to make the best of it, ATLAS and P-Body used it to skate around on their new feet at high speeds. GLaDOS tried to ignore the sounds of them crashing into things as she tallied the results of the tests. While not as amusing as when the humans test, GLaDOS was pleased that the androids did so well in their new bodies.

That was weeks ago, though. Right after the feed to the former construct (Wheatley) had been cut. ATLAS and P-Body had been idle lately, wondering what GLaDOS had in store for them. GLaDOS didn't seem to have much need for the two lately. They would test sometimes, and still ran little errands for her, but lately the two had a lot of time to spend in their "clubhouse".

The clubhouse served as their little hideaway. Originally, the Aperture Science Test Subject Dormitories were used to house the test subjects hired to test whatever product Aperture was thinking about releasing onto the world. Thankfully for humanity, most of Aperture's ideas and products never made it past distribution. Still, testing would be needed. Up until relaxation chambers were introduced as a more cost effective alternative to actually housing to poor saps that were hired for testing (under the illusion of a free place to stay and steady work), the dormitories were sealed off and forgotten. The androids had actually found them by accident long ago in their usual adventures in exploring the inner workings of the facility.

Since then, it had served as their little home away from home (or Hub away from Hub as it were). When they weren't doing things for GLaDOS, the two could usually be found here, going through the old human things or just relaxing (or the robot equivalent). Most of the dormitory rooms were destroyed from years of neglect, so ATLAS and P-Body made themselves at home in was once the lobby of the first dormitory building. The entire dormitory complex was underground (with the rest of the facility, of course), which meant wild animals would sometimes be found there. What wasn't completely buried under rubble, the robots would explore and scavenge.

Far from GLaDOS's prying optic, the androids felt safe. Nothing ever came down here.

With her new body, P-Body was able to work on her little projects more freely. P-Body's hobby was building things, which she usually kept to herself. She was oddly good at it for a robot built specifically for testing and nothing else. ATLAS found himself stronger and able to lift through the rubble around the dormitories more easily. With a little elbow grease (and a little actual grease too), P-Body repaired the wiring in the clubhouse and made the fixtures light up again. This made working on her little pet projects easier.

Far from GLaDOS's judgmental optic, P-Body pursued her hobby. Nothing ever came down here.

Though they looked human and enjoyed human hobbies, the two androids knew virtually nothing about being human. After receiving their new bodies, GLaDOS had handed them a book that she thought would be useful to them. The book was obviously old, as it was dusty and the pictures looked like the posters the two had found in the "Forbidden Zone" under the main facility.

The book was titled: _"Boys and Girls: Your Body and Its Many Changes"_. It was obviously meant for human boys and girls when they became a certain age, but GLaDOS must have felt it applied to them just the same. ATLAS opened the book and noted most of it was censored with pictures of a weighted companion cube.

P-Body kept this book on a shelf in the clubhouse, which she housed other little treasures, which included various knick-knacks, her finished crafts, human artifacts from the newly accessible parts of the dormitories, and the cracked optical lens of the now offline Intelligence Dampening Sphere.

Today, after testing was done, ATLAS and P-Body decided to do what they loved best (outside of testing, or course); scavenging the abandoned areas of the facility, which usually awarded great treasures. ATLAS kept watch as the two made it down towards a new area they had recently uncovered. GLaDOS had forbid them from going down there, probably because of the close proximity to the incinerator (probably also because their transmitters seemed to go slightly out of range down there). Today, the waste disposal wing just beckoned them.

ATLAS removed a piece of the wall separating them from the waste disposal wing and made a gesture, as if saying "ladies first", letting P-Body go before him. P-Body entered first, and ATLAS trundled after her. The very vastness of the disposal wing overjoyed P-Body, as she had found many treasures down in this place before. Most of her little knick-knacks were made from things she and ATLAS had recovered from the disposal wing.

Looking up, the androids could see flaming bits of old turrets coming from the incinerator down the chutes. Treasure hunting down here was dangerous, to say the least. Flaming projectiles were a constant threat, and who knew what lived down here. ATLAS fondly remembered the day P-Body got a baby raccoon stuck in her body while poking the Mama Raccoon with a small twig. He had never laughed so hard (what counted for laughing in their inaudible chatter).

P-Body was shifting through the rubble, picking up scraps of this and that when she heard panicked running. She called out for ATLAS, but saw him just a few feet away from her. P-Body walked toward where she heard the sound and found a pile of familiar looking rubble. She knelt down and picked up the half-melted remains of the now empty construct that was once Wheatley, as if it had been placed there, just for her. P-Body picked up the pieces and cradled the broken construct like a child, noting that the broken optic glass was missing. She had the optic in the clubhouse, which she kept on a little shelf of other treasures. P-Body waved to ATLAS, motioning to come over and see what she found.

Happily showing him the pieces of what was once the Intelligence Dampening Sphere, P-Body had decided on her latest project. ATLAS voiced his disapproval, but knew, even with their new bodies, P-Body was still P-Body, and when she was set on building something, he couldn't talk her out of it. All he could was shake his head and hope GLaDOS didn't find out.

As they finished scavenging for the necessary parts she would need, ATLAS chattered to P-Body, and in their own language asked how unusual it was that it just happened to be there. Something like that wouldn't just be lying around, as GLaDOS tended to recycle what she could. P-Body waved ATLAS's suspicions away, saying GLaDOS couldn't use most of the parts anyway, since they were mostly melted.

Finding parts of other cores was hard, but not impossible. With everything she needed, P-Body led the way out of the disposal wing and back to the clubhouse. ATLAS asked her what she had planned, but P-Body didn't answer. She cradled the remains, which she wrapped in a blanket she had found, like a child and chirped softly, as if cooing to the remains. ATLAS ran ahead of P-Body and told her to stop, motioning to his head. In their language, he was telling her they were almost back within GLaDOS's transmitting range. P-Body nodded and covered her discovery with the rest of the blanket.

Making it safely back to their clubhouse, P-Body placed her new treasure on the table she used as a work bench. ATLAS threw the rest of the salvaged treasure on the floor and started going through it. P-Body rolled her new eyes (both of them) and unpacked the construct from its blanket. The duct tape and spit (metaphorical, of course) work done the first time was prominent, and both androids knew the fix was temporary. ATLAS gathered the tools P-Body would need for whatever it was she was doing.

GLaDOS hadn't called them up for testing in a long time. This made ATLAS nervous, and rightfully so. Whenever GLaDOS was silent, bad things were about to happen. ATLAS watched as P-Body worked her magic on the sphere to repair it properly. P-Body had given herself quite a challenge. Duplicating the insides of a Personality Construct was next to impossible, so most of the parts had to be replaced with parts from other constructs.

P-Body worked for hours, her body almost shutting down as her systems lacked power. It took a lot of coaxing from ATLAS to get her to take a break to recharge. P-Body's recharge didn't last long; as she just rested her systems long enough to have the energy to finish her task. When ATLAS awoke (or came back online from sleep mode, rather) and noted his companion wasn't in her modified relaxation chamber (which GLaDOS told them to use now, because she couldn't be bothered to move them anywhere else). ATLAS immediately found her working in the clubhouse. When he found her, she had finished.

Though she had initially "Frankensteined" this sphere, P-Body was proud of it. One last piece of the puzzle remained: the cracked optic. P-Body slowly fitted it back into place and stepped back. She clapped excitedly as her companion looked on in discomfort. The Sphere was lifeless and it just stared at the two.

When P-Body decided to go recharge fully, ATLAS stared at the Sphere on the table. Why was P-Body so obsessed with rebuilding that moron? Wasn't he enough for her? Did their friendship and those hours of testing together as a team mean nothing to P-Body? Why should he care if P-Body spent her time rebuilding the little idiot?

ATLAS blinked softly, his eyelids making tiny tinking sounds. Was this what jealousy felt like? No, he needed to stop being silly. For starters, ATLAS and P-Body were still machines, despite the human appearances; feeling anything, especially jealousy, would be crazy. They were practically inseparable most of the time. And this sphere was lifeless. ATLAS knocked on the sphere softly.

Yep, nobody was home. Of course, the same could be said if Wheatley were still in the sphere, he reasoned. ATLAS wanted to break it, but knew his companion wouldn't take too kindly to that. ATLAS decided to leave the construct alone and go recharge with his companion.

After recharging, the two found themselves waiting for instructions from GLaDOS regarding whatever mission she was cooking up for them. GLaDOS made them wait as she mused over the videos of their recent tests. One of the pipes carrying propulsion gel broke during one of the tests and had splattered all over the Hub. Deciding to make the best of it, ATLAS and P-Body used it to skate around on their new feet at high speeds. GLaDOS tried to ignore the sounds of them crashing into things as she tallied the results of the tests. While not as amusing as when the humans test, GLaDOS was pleased that the androids did so well in their new bodies.

"The results of these newer tests are better than the ones with your old bodies. I am genuinely impressed. I will have your mission for you within the next **[72 HOURS]**. Or it might be another test. I haven't decided yet. Be patient, my robots. For now, go find something to do. I will call you back soon." GLaDOS seemed to be in a hurry to get them out of the way, which was fine by the androids.

ATLAS and P-Body rode the broken transport tubes all the way to their clubhouse. Both were anxious to get in, with P-Body leading. ATLAS didn't know what P-Body had planned, but he did remember seeing her steal something from one of the testing tracks. P-Body rushed inside and uncovered her rebuilt construct. P-Body picked it up and using a screwdriver, unhitched the back. P-Body took the unknown object from her pocket and snapped it into place. ATLAS walked up to P-Body just as she placed the finished product down.

Before snapping it back together completely, P-Body reached into it and turned a switch. This made the construct's optic blink, meaning it was ready for operation. P-Body cheered her handy work, with ATLAS giving her a high five. As the two hugged, the rebuilt construct made weird sounds. After a bit, a computerized voice came from the construct.

_Please Connect _**[Intelligence Dampening Construct]** _to the_ _Subject. Subject 1247 Not Found. Please Connect Correct Subject. Locating Backup Memory. Backup Memory Not Found. Please Connect Correct Subject._

P-Body found this astounding. She had often wondered why Cores could not be reused. ATLAS had once found the blueprints for the prototype personality constructs in an old office during one of their usual adventures throughout the facility. In big bold letters at the bottom of the blueprints it said _"__**DO NOT REUSE CONSTRUCTS!**__" _

Whoever wrote that was serious, as it was also written in Spanish, French, German, and Binary with a little bloody thumbprint next to the initial message.

Apparently, the Personality Constructs, or Corrupted Cores (whatever term one chose) were custom built for whoever was put into them. P-Body wondered if she could bypass that and reset the construct. ATLAS picked up the construct and turned it around in fast motions, knocking loose little items inside. P-Body tried to stop him, showing him how mad she was and yelling in her inaudible chirping. ATLAS slammed down the construct. Before P-Body could yell some more, a jaunty little tune came from the sphere.

_Locating Nearest Personality Construct…Locating…Locating…Located! _**[10 Constructs] **_Have Been Located. Please Return _**[Intelligence Dampening Construct]** _to the Nearest Management Rail or Core Receptacle._

The androids looked at each other and then back at the core. P-Body picked it up slowly and cradled it. In their language, P-Body told ATLAS they needed to pacify its request. ATLAS looked unsure, knowing this would only get the two into trouble. In their language, ATLAS reasoned that the core needed to be destroyed, and if GLaDOS even suspected that they had rebuilt one, she'd have them both disassembled and thrown into the incinerator.

P-Body cradled the core as it kept repeating its message. ATLAS finally relented, and told her the management rails were too risky, so they'd have to find a core receptacle. He knew of only one close by, in one of the test chambers GLaDOS was repairing. He told her they'd have to be quick about it, as he didn't know if the cameras in that particular test chamber worked yet. P-Body nodded as she wrapped the construct in a blanket and followed ATLAS.

To be safe, ATLAS threw a rock at the camera and knocked it out as soon as they reached the unfinished test chamber. P-Body felt around the room and found the false panel. When she couldn't get it to come out, ATLAS kicked the panel next to it. P-Body smiled and ATLAS flexed his "muscles" to her. When the receptacle emerged, P-Body stuck the core onto the plug and watched as its front panel started to twist around.

_Locating Constructs…Located! Please Disengage Construct._

Pressing the little buttons on the receptacle, the construct popped out and into P-Body's arms. She rewrapped it in the blanket and listened to it sputter a bit. As P-Body cradled the construct, another panel opened up. The two androids walked in and let the panel close behind them. They immediately recognized this as one of the maintenance areas, where GLaDOS couldn't reach them. Above them was a management rail, which P-Body immediately attached the construct to.

As if indicating the two to follow it, the construct slowly went along the rail. They weren't sure how far the rail went into the facility, but there was no turning back at this point. The two followed the construct, as it turned sharply and zoomed past all the back areas. The core kept at a good pace as they went farther into the maze that was the facility.

_Deeper…_

_Farther…_

Just how far they had to go was unknown. The androids estimated that they had been walking for hours, though they weren't tired (they were androids, after all). Eventually, they could go no further, as the management rail was entangled with plants. They had gone so far into the outer reaches of the facility, plant life was still growing. The construct disengaged itself from the rail and ATLAS caught it. P-Body yanked some of the plant life out of the way, revealing drawings on the walls. Arrows pointing toward what looked like a garden.

The androids wandered into the opulent garden that was probably once a series of offices. What amazed the androids was how kept the plants looked. Trails seemed to have been made, and sunshine was being simulated through the light bulbs above in the broken roof panels.

"Excuse me!" shouted a small voice behind them. ATLAS and P-Body moved out of the way as a core zoomed by on the management rail.

"_Construct Located. Designation: _**[Gardening Construct]**_ Up Ahead."_ The construct in ATLAS's arms announced. The androids followed the construct on the rail as it zoomed into what used to be a cubicle (they assumed).

"No, no, no! What did I tell that Nanobot crew? The _Rosa Gallica _needs to be properly trimmed before the frost comes in! They are sensitive! I need to check on the _Helianthus Annuus _soon. Where did those…" the frantic construct looked behind itself and yelped in surprise. "Oh…hello…" The construct muttered. The construct had a feminine voice and a sunshine yellow "eye" in the shape of a sunflower. "Well, you look human, but my scans indicate you aren't human. And you certainly aren't plants!" The Gardening Construct shouted angrily. "I don't have time to talk; I have to get these plants ready for the party!" The construct zoomed around frantically looking over the plants.

P-Body chattered something in their robot language. "Funny, I understood that. Oh! You're those little androids I've been hearing so much about. That Gossip Construct never stops talking about you. Even when I tried to tell her how nicely the _Botrytis Tulipae _was eradicated from my _Tulipa Gesneriana_. Well, now she can finally shut up, though that might be rare…like _Trillium Grandiflorum_ growing out of season."

The androids looked at each other and then back to the sphere. "What party, you ask? Only the _Camellia Sinensis _party, of course! The human who comes down here occasionally asked me to grow some for him, and of course it was a delight! Follow me…" the sphere zoomed toward a little open area not far from where they stood. "Watch your step! The _Hydrocotyle_ will sneak up on you!" the core announced. In the middle of the makeshift clearing was a rickety old table with five chairs, two of which were already taken by a weighted companion cube and what looked like a burnt turret.

The turret scanned the androids as they walked in. "Don't do that, it's rude!" shouted a construct on an adjacent rail.

"_Construct Located. Designation: _**[Manners Construct]**_ Up Ahead." _The construct that ATLAS held sounded off as the construct approached.

The feminine construct looked at them when it had finished. The Manners Core had a pink eye that looked almost like a cat's. She spoke in a southern accent. "Well, I do declare! They have arrived! Someone, do go tell the human!" she shouted.

As the Manners Construct announced that, other cores emerged from the foliage and wreckage and started zooming around. ATLAS and P-Body followed the cores past the table. "No running!" shouted the Manners Construct, as the two ran by. The androids stopped at a curtain draped in front of an entrance. ATLAS pulled it back and the two looked in.

Before them was a big room with management rails everywhere, with Personality Constructs zooming around everywhere. To the androids, it looked like the Constructs had made themselves a little ecosystem of sorts. They heard mechanical whirring behind them and looked up Garden Construct had joined them. "I'm not sure how long we've been here, but the human came about not too long ago. We found him in one of those funny looking beds covered in _Hydrocotyle _and released him. Medical Construct said he'd been in there for so long, that he wouldn't be surprised if the human was dead. But he wasn't! He rose proudly like a _Salix Alba_ over a calm river full of _Nymphaea _in full bloom!"

Before the androids could step forward, they heard a sound behind them. It sounded like a chair scooting out. Turning around, they saw a third chair taken up by a scraggily looking man in a dirty ripped lab coat. They couldn't see his eyes, but could tell he was looking at them. The man twitched a bit and raised his arm, inviting the two to sit with him. They obliged.

ATLAS placed the construct on the table as the androids sat down. "I was wondering when she'd give you those upgrades…" the man finally said in between random muttering. "So, you've finally arrived for the tea party. I'm glad you made it. You both of excellent specimens, and your bodies are very well designed." The man uttered some random gibberish as he finished that sentence. The androids watched as he poured himself some tea from the tea pot on the table. After doing so, he picked up the construct the androids had placed down.

"You did a good job repairing this Construct…Intelligence Dampening, if I remember correctly…I was assigned to that one. Poor fellow…I watched them yank the poor man into the room and throw him into the chair. He was a shell of his former self…" the man looked at the construct, tapping the eye. He unhitched the back and looked inside. "I remembered working with that man once or twice. I didn't catch his name, but he wasn't from around here. He was such a happy man; all he did was talk, talk, talk, especially about his girlfriend…I don't remember her name, either. I wish I had been better acquainted with him; he looked like someone I would have had a few beers with. Not that I could drink because of...well, that's not important. I don't know what they did to him in between signing him up and strapping him into that chair, but he didn't even fight back. He was probably too weak…or maybe he…"

The man looked at the androids and smiled. "That was years ago, though…" he smiled in between inane gibberish and sipping his drink. P-Body chattered something to the man as he placed the construct on the table. "Why yes, I have been watching you two…and her, as well."

The androids stared at the man. He laughed and looked up at the two. "You don't spend years around machines and not eventually learn their language." He laughed as he coughed. The man looked sad. ATLAS looked like he was losing his patience and started to get up. "You belong to her, but you roam around freely. Does she realize what kind of power she'd given you two?" The man stated, making ATLAS stop dead in his tracks. "Her programming must be wearing down, and the one she was based off of must be reemerging. Or maybe the program is starting to corrupt again. Who knows…every time I try to go up there, she unleashes her turrets on me."

He sipped his tea again and looked at his cube. "Alright, I'll tell them…" he said, with a nod. "I have been told that one day, Alice will return to Wonderland. I know…she's gone. I've hacked the feed and watched her constantly observe your friend. The one that used to live in here…" the man tapped the construct on the table. "She left behind two little ones…I'm happy she was able to leave and live her life…I stay here to help the others. The ones you two helped reawaken. Most leave and never come back. Others decided to be heroes and try and help the others. The majority of them, that is…only one or two regarded my advice…what happened to them, I don't know. I cannot leave while there are others still here, doing her bidding."

The androids didn't know if he was serious or if it was just more insane banter. They unanimously voted on the latter and decided it was time to leave. "She will send you two to the surface to finish his work. Be careful up there. You don't know what you might truly find up there…" the man reached into the construct on the table and fiddled around in it. It soon turned off after he yanked something out. "They can't be reused and from what I've seen, I don't think he's in a big hurry to get back in this thing. But maybe you should return it to him. In case he ever feels homesick again…"

P-Body wrapped the construct in its blanket and followed ATLAS out of the garden. The man looked at the cube and the turret as he finished his tea. "You don't want any?" he asked the turret.

"No, thank you." The turret answered simply.

_Later On_

The androids wondered how long they could keep this place a secret from GLaDOS. ATLAS estimated not long, as she had access to their internal memories, but P-Body felt more confident. The moment they returned to the clubhouse, the transmitters in their heads went off. "It's about time I got a hold of you two! You've been digging around in the waste disposal wing again, haven't you?" GLaDOS didn't sound pleased. "No matter; grab something to carry objects in and come up to my chamber immediately. It's time…"

After finding a knapsack within an old human footlocker, the androids made their way to the nearest transport tube. Before P-Body stepped into the tube, she placed the construct and its blanket snuggly into the knapsack, hoping GLaDOS didn't notice.

GLaDOS twirled around to face them as soon as they arrived. "Congratulations." She said softly, as the two arrived. A lackluster party favor sounded off and weak confetti came from the ceiling. "Your new bodies did better than originally perceived. Now, the true test begins; you're going to the surface." GLaDOS made the elevator ascend from the floor again. The two boarded the elevator, with a mixture of joy and terror going through their systems.

As the elevator went up, GLaDOS glared at them. "You have your mission. Succeed, and cake will be had; not that you can eat. Fail…and don't bother coming back. I turned the Aperture Science Observation Implants on in your heads right before you arrived. It was the same one I had put in the idiot before it almost killed him. Since you are machines, I probably won't have that same problem. Simply put, I will be observing you two. Try not to embarrass me or yourselves or the facility while you're there…good luck." In a mixture of joy and terror, the androids pounded on the elevator door as it went up.

_Later that Night, in the City_

"Food's here!" shouted Lil, as she brought in the take out bag. Angie and Wheatley sat in the living room (Angie on the floor and Wheatley on the couch) playing a video game, so they obviously didn't hear Lil.

Wheatley looked like he was in a life or death struggle. "Oh for crying out…now I know you're cheating!" Wheatley shouted, pressing the buttons on his controller frantically.

"Just because I have a higher score doesn't mean I'm cheating!" Angie shouted, as she waved her controller in different directions. A loud booming noise came from the speakers of the entertainment system as Wheatley sat there; his jaw nearly hit the ground. Angie cheered triumphantly as Wheatley fumed.

"Best two out of three!" he shouted, as they readied themselves for the next round.

Lil shook her head and placed the bag down. This was the first time in almost two weeks she had ordered Chinese since Wheatley's accident. He still didn't remember much, but Lil was just happy he was alright. The bald spot was almost completely gone and the stitches were gone as well. Wheatley was happy for the most part, but sometimes felt the lingering "phantom" of the implant in his head. He often wondered why Lil looked so sad when she looked at him lately, but she would always smile at him afterward. He liked it when she smiled.

"Hey, did you two hear me? The food is here! Shut that thing off!" Lil shouted, placing the take-out boxes on the counter. Angie pressed the big button on their game console and got up.

"But, Miss Lil, I was winning!" Wheatley shouted.

"No, you weren't." muttered Lil as Angie ran up to her.

"This isn't over, Tiny Human…" Wheatley grumbled, as he got off the couch.

Lil walked up to the cabinets and took out some plates. Angie rummaged around in the paper bag as Wheatley walked up. "They forgot the egg rolls again." She whined as Lil placed the plates on the counter. As if almost instantly, they heard knocking at the door.

"Could you get that, Wheaters?" Lil asked as she reached for the forks.

"I hope it's that guy with the egg rolls. I love those things." said Wheatley, as he licked his lips. The last week and a half were treating Wheatley well: his bald spot was almost completely gone, he hadn't had a flashback since the implant removal, and Lil had deemed him fully recovered earlier, so he was going back to work at the bookstore the next morning. As he reached for the door knob, Wheatley suddenly got this overwhelming feeling of dread. He wasn't sure why, but he suddenly felt like he wasn't at all rid of GLaDOS and Aperture completely.

Though his better judgment told him not to (it usually sounded like GLaDOS, but not as of late), Wheatley opened the door to a wave of confetti and the sound of a noisemaker. "What the bloody…" Wheatley looked at the two people standing in the doorway. They didn't look familiar, but he felt he knew them. It wasn't until he looked at their clothes and saw the Aperture Science logos that he knew them. The two had big smiles on their faces and the girl held her backpack close.

Lil watched from the kitchen as Wheatley talked to two unknown (and very pale) people. One was a girl with very bright orange hair while the other was a boy with blue hair. She cocked an eye brow and walked up to Wheatley. "Hey, Wheaters, what's going on?" she asked, looking at the two.

The girl chirped her "hello" in a mechanical sense while the two gave Lil a very big hug. Wheatley pulled the two off of Lil and smiled nervously as the two entered the apartment. "Umm…Miss Lil, Tiny Human, before you yell at me and chase me with the flyswatter, again, keep in mind I had no control over this." Wheatley warned as he closed the door.

"Wheatley, what's going on? Who are these people?" asked Lil, as Angie held onto her tightly. The girl bent down and smiled at Angie, beeping a hello. Angie hid behind Lil, only peeking out from behind Lil's legs.

"Don't be afraid, they're harmless. They're from Aperture and…well…I promise I will explain everything, Miss Lil…" Wheatley readjusted his glasses and tried not to look nervous.

He sighed and pointed to the two people in question. "Miss Lil, Tiny Human, these two are ATLAS…" Wheatley pointed to the young man with blue hair, blue eyes, and blue shirt. "…and P-Body…" Wheatley pointed to the girl with her orange hair in two low stringy pigtails, orange eyes, and an orange dress. "…they are robots…"

After the initial yelling and huffing around was complete, the two robots made themselves at home. Lil couldn't find a place for them, so she had Wheatley put them in the kitchen pantry. Since they didn't need much space and didn't require much, it suited them fine. As the robots started to power down for the night, both of them heard a clicking noise in the back of their heads.

"_Now, you both have your mission. Pick up where that idiot left off. Get as much information on these humans as possible and of course…keep an eye on Subject Lillian. Now, be good little androids and go into sleep mode for the night. You have a busy day tomorrow."_

The androids powered down for the night just as GLaDOS had instructed.

"…_and don't worry…I won't interrupt my little rat's tea party…yet…"_

* * *

><p><strong>N'cha everyone!<strong>

**This one took me a little while longer to write than I had hoped. But, here they are, ATLAS and P-Body in the (mechanical) flesh! Putting them in the story will be kind of like giving Wheatley and the girl's housekeepers of some kind. Ever seen FLCL? Remember Canti? Just like that, only with two of them.**

**In my mind, there are numerous corrupted cores, and I tried my best to give an accurate picture of what the outer rim of Aperture might look like. Far beyond GLaDOS's reach, they feel safe being able to pursue whatever it is they are programed to pursue. But as I wrote that, I couldn't help but wonder who most of them might have been. I didn't want to think about it too much, so I just continued to write. And I will admit, I think I made Rattmann more eloquent than he actually is. Forgive me for that, it's for the sake of the story. **

**So, I've got some goodies in store for you all in the next few chapters! I know everyone was disappointed about Lil and Wheatley's special moment being ruined, but they'll have another one. When? Well, if I told you that then it wouldn't be a surprise, now would it? Be patient, all in due time. **

**I will say this though: Wheatley's flashbacks are going to start getting more intense, so prepare yourselves. Also, a trip to the old part of the city is in store soon…not next chapter soon, but soon.**

**Well, as always, review and be merry, my friends. Anything you need addressed just PM me or mention it in the review thingy. I appreciate all reviews (please don't flame), and it is your reviews and favs and such that keep me going. So, review and be merry and keep this story going strong!**

**GLaDOS, Wheatley, ATLAS and P-Body belong to Valve.**


	16. The Human Expert

_Reconstructing Humanity_

The Human Expert

The cold fall morning was something Wheatley had become used to. He heard his alarm clock go off, but rewrapped himself in his quilt. Eventually realizing he can't sleep through it, it slowly stuck his arm out from the little quilt cave he made and pressed the button on the clock. Wheatley hated the alarm clock, but Lil insisted on him having it, since she liked things running on time. He liked that about her: always prompt. Of course, Lil was guilty of sleeping in, too. Humans were still mostly a mystery to Wheatley.

In the time he had been human, Wheatley had learned many things and also how to avoid some of those things. He had written down a list in a journal Lil let him have from the bookstore. In it, he had started keeping tabs on his returning memories, since GLaDOS was no longer around to record things. Wheatley felt the need to keep everything in check. From memories, to dreams, to any little thing he thought was interesting, it would be written in the journal right before bed.

There was so much to learn and now that he didn't have the condescending GLaDOS in his head, he'd have more time to write. He had a feeling he'd have plenty more now that there were two androids living in the kitchen pantry. Wheatley didn't sleep well the night before thinking about the conversation he and Lil had about the robots. At first she was mad, then she was confused, then she was mad again. After a good long talk, Lil came up with a solution.

Lil gave Wheatley one week to find a place for them among their lives. ATLAS and P-Body needed to make themselves useful within a week or else.

Lil didn't emphasize what "or else" meant. Wheatley was sure Lil herself didn't know. It was still early morning, so he deduced the two were either still in the kitchen pantry or doing…whatever it is they do when not bending to GLaDOS's will.

Wheatley, upon getting dressed, opened his door and yawned with a long stretch of his equally long arms. He walked into the hallway and noticed Angie's door was open. This meant she was already up. It was rare for Angie to be up before Wheatley, as they usually got up together. Wheatley walked towards the kitchen and saw Angie sitting at the counter, eating pancakes. He took his place at the counter and sighed as a plate of pancakes was placed in front of him. Angie was already dressed for the day. "What's wrong, Mr. Wheatley?" she asked, digging into her pancake.

"Miss Lil told me to find a use for ATLAS and P-Body in a week 'or else', though she didn't specify what 'or else' meant." Wheatley groaned as he was handed the syrup. Angie munched on her pancake as Wheatley started cutting into his. "I told Miss Lil last night that since I am probably the reason they are here, I'll make them my responsibility. But they're robots, not puppies. Of course, their naïve nature kind of reminds me of puppies."

Wheatley sulked as a cup of orange juice was placed in front of him. He sipped it slowly and then looked at it. "Did Miss Lil change brands?" he asked, looking at Lil.

"It's fresh squeezed." Angie answered happily as Wheatley handed her the syrup back.

"I didn't know Miss Lil made her own orange juice." said Wheatley, after taking another swig. "And this breakfast is delicious! I knew Miss Lil was a good cook, but this is heavenly! I can't believe Miss Lil made fresh squeezed juice and homemade pancakes!"

"She didn't do either of those." said Angie, pointing to the other side of the counter. Wheatley looked up and P-Body waved to him from the other side of the counter. He blinked a bit and looked at his plate. P-Body chirped something in her mechanical language before putting another pancake on Angie's plate.

"No, I don't want anymore, thank you." Wheatley sighed as he played with his pancakes.

Angie squeezed out the rest of the syrup on her pancakes. "You can understand them?" asked Angie as P-Body took the syrup away from her.

Wheatley nodded and cut into his single pancake. "Well, being a former machine helps a bit." He said with a soft sigh.

Wheatley finished his pancakes and looked around. He and Angie were eating, P-Body was cooking, and ATLAS was doing dishes. "Where is Miss Lil?" asked Wheatley, as P-Body took his plate. Angie pointed to the balcony as she ate another pancake. "Well, that answers one question." Wheatley mumbled and walked towards the balcony on the other side of the living room. He slowly opened the balcony door to find Lil drinking a cup of coffee while watching the street below.

"Wheaters…" Lil began as she looked over the balcony railing. "…I can tolerate many things in life." Lil took another sip from her mug and looked at Wheatley as he closed the balcony door tight. "For example: I tolerate you getting me kicked out of the grocery store because you wanted to rescue a tank full of lobsters. I totally get that. I'm all for animal rights. I tolerate you scaring customers away with your weird questions. I also tolerate you leaving the bathroom without pants on pretty much every time you take a shower." Lil blushed saying that (and didn't want to admit she was impressed by Wheatley's "prowess").

"But of all the things that could happen…this…THIS has got to be the strangest thing that has ever walked into my home." Lil shouted, pointing inside. Wheatley looked inside and saw the robots wave happily at him.

"They don't really keep a low profile, do they?" Wheatley asked softly. Wheatley scratched his chin softly, and after noting that it was about time for a shave, he smiled at Lil and reassured her he'd keep them out of trouble. "Don't worry, Miss Lil, they are my responsibility. I'll keep them out of trouble."

Lil sighed and rubbed her forehead. "There is no plus side to this…" Lil mused, leaning against the railing of the balcony.

"Actually, there is a bright side, plenty of them, actually. For one, you believed Tiny Human didn't have enough friends close to home, and now she does. And remember that pet you wanted to get? This is better! They're robots, so they don't need to be fed, and they don't make a mess…"

It was then they both heard a glass cup break. "…much mess, scratch that, much mess. And they don't need much space seeing as they are robots…"

Lil smiled softly and chuckled. "I still have my reservations. They look human, but then again, so do you. How are you going to teach them about humanity if you barely know anything about it?" Wheatley didn't want to admit Lil had a pretty valid point as well. "I'm giving you a week to figure out what to do with them. And since you assumed responsibility over them, I'm holding you accountable for whatever they break."

Wheatley sighed and leaned his back against the rail. "It's going to be cold all day, I suggest you wear long sleeves." said Lil, turning to face Wheatley.

"Well, the bookstore is pretty warm, but I guess a little extra warmth will be good." Wheatley chuckled.

Lil turned to look at Wheatley. "Actually, Wheaters, I was thinking you could stay home today." said Lil, as she leaned over the railing slightly.

Wheatley sulked at Lil. "But Miss Lil, I told you I'm fine to work now. The bald spot is gone and the stitched up area no longer itches. I can handle my work." Secretly, Wheatley was fighting back the urge to scratch the area where the bald spot had been.

"It's not that, Wheatley; someone has to be here to watch these two." Lil pointed to the androids inside as they cleaned up breakfast. "Someone should be here to look after them. And who else better than you, the one they came looking for?"

Lil smiled and patted Wheatley on the shoulder. "Don't worry, Wheaters; it's just for today. Just keep them occupied and see if you can't find a use for them." Wheatley watched as Lil sashayed back inside. "You're practically an expert." Lil joked as she walked back in.

She did have a valid point: Wheatley was still getting used to being human, how was he going to help two robots do the same?

"A human expert…" Wheatley muttered triumphantly to himself. Wheatley puffed up his chest strutted back inside.

Sitting at the counter, Lil watched as the two androids scurried about the kitchen. It wasn't a very big kitchen by any means, but P-Body had no problem maneuvering around with her tiny frame. Lil knew she was a robot and couldn't help it, but she was still somewhat jealous.

"It's P-Body, right?" Lil asked. P-Body nodded and straightened up the apron she was wearing. "And you are…wait, I remember…ATLAS." Lil pointed to the guy. He happily saluted. "How can you cook if you don't eat?" asked Lil, picking up her fork. P-Body shrugged and went back to clearing up the counter area. Lil picked a piece up with her fork and softly chewed the soft, buttery pancake. "Mmm…it's edible, that's a plus." Lil muttered as she took another bite.

Wheatley sighed and slumped down in the computer chair. "I was looking forward to going back to the store…" he lamented, as Angie, followed by the androids, walked up to him.

"Don't worry, Mr. Wheatley. I'll be here today, too!" she said, happily. Wheatley sulked into the chair and grumbled. "I bet it would impress Lil a lot to see you take charge." Angie whispered softly.

Wheatley perked up and smiled. "Miss Lil, I had a change of heart and I'll do it!" he said, immediately.

"Wonderful!" Lil said as she finished her breakfast and got up. "That was delicious, P-Body." Lil wiped her mouth and went to put on her coat. P-Body smiled and beeped her appreciation. Lil nodded softly and reached for her keys. "Alright, I'll be downstairs in the store if you guys need anything. Will you be alright, Wheaters?" asked Lil, as she reached for the doorknob.

"Right as rain, Miss Lil, I am a human expert." Wheatley's reassurance made Lil giggle softly. It wasn't that she didn't have faith in Wheatley's abilities; it was just that, actually. He hadn't been human long, but despite everything he learned, he barely qualified as an expert on anything. Lil rolled her eyes and decided she needed to have more faith in him. "Alright, Mr. Expert, you're in charge. I'll be downstairs in the shop if you guys need me." Lil left the apartment and Wheatley to his own devices. He turned around to Angie and the androids smiling at him.

Wheatley smiled and cleared his throat. "Alright, you heard Miss Lil, I'm in charge." Wheatley smiled and straightened himself up. "As you may already know, I've been studying humans for quite a while now, so I have been left in charge of teaching you two about being human."

The Androids looked at each other, unimpressed.

"What should we start with?" Wheatley looked around the living room as the androids and Angie sat down.

P-Body shot up fast when the television came on suddenly. Upon examining where she had sat down, P-Body noticed a small object with buttons. "Ahh, perfect!" said Wheatley, taking the object from P-Body. "What better place to start your human training than with an object the humans find essential for survival; the telly!" Wheatley smiled and turned off the television with the remote. The androids looked at him as if he had just performed a magic trick.

"The telly is a machine that shows moving pictures. Kind of like the monitors at the facility, except most of the time the shows aren't interrupted with pre-recorded messages. Well, not the kind of pre-recorded messages we remember, anyway." Wheatley turned the television back on as a shampoo commercial came on. "This pre-recorded message is called a 'commercial'. It hypnotizes humans into buying stuff. The device I hold in my hand is called a 'remote control'." Wheatley passed the remote around for them to look at.

"I still haven't figured out what most of those buttons do, but I figured out a few. For example, the button labeled 'Volume' decides whether or not Miss Lil will yell at you in the middle of the night. Basically, it decides whether or not the telly should be loud or quiet. The one labeled 'Channel' makes the pre-recorded messages go away. It does that by making another show come on, on a different channel. Isn't that something?" Wheatley took the remote back once Angie passed it back to him. "Now, humans depend on the telly for a multitude of reasons. News, entertainment, or even just noise."

Angie raised her hand. "Yes, Tiny Human?" asked Wheatley as he adjusted his glasses and looked at the remote.

"I want to show them video games!" she shouted, happily.

"Ahh, another human essential; very good, Tiny Human." Wheatley pointed to Angie with a smile as he placed the remote on the coffee table. Angie clapped happily as Wheatley bent down and opened the cabinet doors to the entertainment center. "What I am about to show you is a device known as a 'video game'."

The androids watched as Wheatley took the console and its wireless controllers out and placed them on the floor. "Now, Miss Lil doesn't like us playing it all day, something about rotting our brains. Though, I see her playing it late at night sometimes when I get up to use the bathroom. That will be another lesson, though."

As Wheatley fidgeted around with the console, Angie picked up the remote from the coffee table. "Want to see something cool?" she whispered. ATLAS and P-Body nodded happily. Angie turned the TV on and turned it to a specific channel. Angie turned on the television and changed it to a specific channel. "Lil bought a box that gives us a bunch of channels. Some play music. This is Mr. Wheatley's least favorite channel…"

Screaming heavy metal music surprised Wheatley, who jumped up in surprise and hit his head on the entertainment center. "What the…" he looked around as Angie pressed another button, trying to change the channel.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Wheatley! Here, I'll change it!" Angie shouted. Angie's tiny fingers slipped and accidently hit the menu. "Oh no, I hit the wrong button…let me try this…" the button only made the TV louder.

Wheatley screamed in freight as the androids laughed in their robotic way. Wheatley picked himself off the floor, his leg unknowingly tangled in the video game console cords. Angie adjusted the brightness of the channel to an almost blinding color. Wheatley rubbed his eyes as he stood up. ATLAS took the remote from Angie and played around with the settings. Wheatley wasn't sure what was going on. "Oh no, Miss Lil is going to kill me if I don't fix this!" he shouted, as he pressed buttons on the television. P-Body took the remote and pressed the button, changing the channel to a show with wailing sirens.

Running around with the console tangled around his leg, Wheatley became quite a spectacle, even Angie was laughing. Once he had calmed down, he snatched the remote from the androids and turned off the television.

About a half hour and a roll of duct tape later, Wheatley had calmed down long enough to "fix" the now broken game console. "Do you think Miss Lil will notice?" he asked, taping the last piece on.

"Not unless she goes blind within the next few hours." replied Angie, as she pressed the on button. It smoldered for a bit and fizzled. Wheatley straightened himself out and picked up a nearby ruler off the computer desk. "Alright, I'm willing to overlook what just happened but I'm afraid I'm going to have to start enforcing punishment."

Wheatley softly smacked ATLAS and P-Body on the top of their heads with the ruler. "Now, next lesson…" Wheatley led the way toward the hallway. P-Body picked up the broken console and smiled. Wheatley gently grabbed her arm and pulled her in his direction.

In the bathroom, Wheatley pointed to the toilet. "This is a toilet. It's quite an unpleasant machine, but necessary for human life. Luckily, you two don't need to use it, but Miss Lil, Tiny Human, and I have to. But it is always good to know how it works." Wheatley pressed the handle and the androids watched the water go down the hole. "And that's how the toilet works. Oh, and you never want to stick your hand in it. If something gets stuck in there, just wait for Miss Lil to call the plumber. I learned that the hard way." Wheatley rubbed his wrist.

ATLAS picked up a small bar of soap and looked at it. "That is for washing your hands when you're done in the bathroom. It's a little strange, I know, but it's so no one gets sick." Wheatley turned his attention to the bath tub as the androids pondered the soap and the toilet. "This knob turns on the hot water, but this one turns on the cold. It's a little confusing at first, but after a while, it becomes pretty every day. The hot is dangerous, so there is that…and the shampoo is misleading, so don't eat that; not that you two can eat…"

_**PLUNK!**_

Wheatley turned around to see Angie covering her mouth. "The soap slipped out of his hand and into the toilet." Angie giggled along with P-Body.

"Oh for…well, it's not too far down, so I guess it won't matter if I just reach in, though I don't know if it will also count as washing my hands. No harm done, mate…" Wheatley pulled up his sleeve and reached into the toilet to get the soap. "Almost got it…its slippery…"

ATLAS leaned against the toilet and slipped, his elbow hitting the handle. Wheatley's screams could be heard downstairs, where Lil was on the phone with her supply company. Lil tried to ignore it, thinking Wheatley had lost at the video game again. She sighed and went back to her order. "What was that sound? Oh, some kids playing around outside. Yeah, Phil, put me down for a few more of those philosophy text books. I want to be prepared for when the college kids come back to town…"

After a bit of tugging, the androids finally got Wheatley's arm out of the toilet. The entire bathroom was a mess. Water and other bathroom essentials were all over the floor and sink counter. Sopping wet and missing his sleeve, Wheatley picked up the ruler and smacked the two on the forehead. "Bad androids!" he said, as Angie handed him his glasses (they had finally off during the struggle to free his arm).

"This is Miss Lil's room. We are not allowed in there, no matter what the circumstances." said Wheatley (in a fresh shirt), tapping softly at Lil's bedroom door. "Miss Lil gets incredibly mad when you go in there without her permission."

P-Body chattered something to Wheatley with her hand up. "What? Why would I have been inside Miss Lil's room last night making a buzzing sound?" Wheatley asked, cocking an eyebrow. ATLAS chattering his response while making hand gestures. "You heard her all the way in the pantry? That's incredible hearing, that is…what? She was saying my name? That doesn't mean I was in her room. Maybe she was dreaming about me." Wheatley thought about what he said and blushed. "Miss Lil was dreaming about me…" he chuckled stupidly while playing with the collar of his shirt. Swooning, Wheatley walked off in a daze. The androids looked at Angie, who just shrugged.

"This is called a vacuum cleaner." Wheatley said, pointing to the odd device in the corner of the hall closet. "It cleans the rugs and carpets and such. Miss Lil forbids me from touching it, but I think this time we can make an exception." Wheatley plugged the vacuum in and turned it on. It made a loud noise that the androids found unpleasant. "YOU SEE…" Wheatley started yelling. "WHATEVER YOU THROW ON THE FLOOR, THE VACUUM CLEANER PICKS UP! BUT IT'S MOSTLY DUST AND STUFF. DOESN'T DO CHANGE EITHER! CLOGS UP THE ENTIRE MACHINE!"

Wheatley showed them how to steer it. "JUST LEAD IT TO WHERE YOU WANT IT TO GO!" he shouted, going towards the androids. P-Body seemed scared by the vacuum, and Wheatley kept teasing her by making it get closer to her. "DON'T WORRY, LOVE! IT'S HARMLESS!" Wheatley shouted, as he chased P-Body with the vacuum. P-Body hid behind ATLAS, who kicked the vacuum cleaner hard, making it sputter and spew dust into the air, causing Wheatley and Angie to cough loudly.

Dust covered most of the apartment. A smacking sound could be heard coming from on top of ATLAS's head.

P-Body used this distraction to wander over to the coffee table and pick up the busted video game console. "Good idea, P-Body…let's take a break." said Wheatley, who was completely covered in dust. "Teaching these two about being human is tougher than I thought." Wheatley shook the dust off of his clothes.

Angie sat next to Wheatley on the couch. "Maybe the apartment isn't the right place to teach these two." said Angie, as P-Body looked up at Wheatley, chattering something.

"Tools? I don't know where Miss Lil keeps those, but we have a drawer in the kitchen filled with stuff." Wheatley answered, pointing to the kitchen. P-Body nodded her thank you and walked away. Wheatley sighed and shook the rest of the dust bunnies out of his hair. "Maybe you're right, Tiny Human. Maybe we should take them somewhere where they won't cause so much collateral damage."

P-Body, with her arms full of random kitchen items, plopped herself back on the floor in front of the coffee table. "Maybe GLaDOS already programmed most of the human things into them." Wheatley leaned back, ignoring the work being done on the coffee table.

"Maybe it's not human things they need to learn, but how to _act_ human. Anyone can know how something works, but it's getting it to work that might help. Like the vacuum cleaner. I know how it works, but I don't know how to use it." Angie suggested.

Wheatley sat up and smiled. "That's brilliant, Tiny Human!" he shouted happily. "The Human Expert is back in business!" Wheatley grabbed the androids and helped them up happily. "New game plan, you two; learning to act human! Come on!"

On top of the roof near the garden was a small storage shed where Lil kept a lot of old things that she didn't want taken to public storage. "Here we are." said Wheatley, pulling out two boxes. "Outwardly, you look human; but you need to act human. Here are some things I found quite interesting when I first started living here." Wheatley opened a box, revealing old children's toys.

"Mr. Wheatley, these are some of my old toys." said Angie, looking in the box. "And didn't Lil put these up here after you kept choking on the fake food?"

Wheatley glared at Angie. "Not helping, Tiny Human. Be a good teacher's assistant and set up the fold out chairs." said Wheatley, pointing to a few fold out chairs in the shed. Angie took one chair and dragged it toward one of the planters.

ATLAS grabbed the chair and lifted it without trouble. He smiled to Angie and patted her on the head. "Thank you, Mr. ATLAS." said Angie, happily. ATLAS smiled and helped her set up the chair.

"Sit here, Miss Pee-Bee." Angie motioned for the already set up chair. P-Body nodded her thank you and sat down.

"Her name is P-Body, Tiny Human." said Wheatley, as he set up some objects on a table. P-Body chirped her response to Wheatley. "Oh? You don't mind if she calls you that? Well, alright, at least until she learns how to say it properly."

After everything was set up, class seemed to be in session. "Alright, now I believe the best place to begin is with the same 'apparatus' as it is called that Miss Lil gave me a few days after moving in. A wonderful, whimsical thing I must say. This is what is called a 'Rubix Cube'." said Wheatley, picking up a small multi-colored cube. "Miss Lil gave it to me, said it helps brain development and it's supposed to help you think. She took it away from me when she…umm, noticed how smart it made me and I didn't need it anymore." Wheatley blushed and cleared his throat.

"She caught him trying to break it open with the kitchen mallet. He thought there was a prize inside." Angie whispered, making the androids chuckle.

Wheatley gave the Rubix Cube to ATLAS, who examined it thoroughly. "It's a little tricky, I must admit, but Miss Lil insists it helps brain development. But since your brains aren't squishy and sponge-like, like mine is, it probably will slightly go over your heads. But the brain is very important to humans because…" Wheatley stopped when he noticed ATLAS had finished the Rubix Cube. Wheatley, amazed, walked over to ATLAS who handed it to him. Wheatley smacked ATLAS with the ruler on his head. "No one likes a show-off." Wheatley muttered.

Wheatley put the cube back in the box and shuffled around in it. "Alright, let's try something else. Ahh, here we go!" Wheatley pulled out two books. "Reading is pretty important to humans. Miss Lil loves to read, which is probably why she has so much fun running the book store. Read these…"

ATLAS and P-Body took the books and looked them over. ATLAS chattered something to Wheatley. "Why yes, it IS a book on farm animals. It's quite a riveting read."

P-Body looked over her book and looked at Angie. "It's one of Lil's old romance novels. She calls it her 'secret shame'. She eats them up." P-Body looked over the book and put it in her mouth. "No, Miss Pee-Bee! You don't actually eat it!" Angie shouted, taking the book away. "I know you've read books before, right?"

Wheatley was more than happy to translate her inaudible sad chirping. "She said she's seen books before. She's read a few and used pages as materials for her hobby, but didn't know they were also food." He chuckled softly. "Well, love, they can't be eaten. Not unless you're a goat."

P-Body put the book down on her lap and continued to watch Wheatley. "Alright, these are called 'clothes'." He continued, pulling out a sweater. "Humans wear them so they don't go around naked. Miss Lil yells at me whenever I leave the shower without clothes on." He blushed and handed the sweater to ATLAS. "Your current clothes will do for a while, but people might start to wonder why you wear the same thing over and over again. So, we'll have to change them."

Wheatley went over to the shed and picked out a box marked "Clothes" and put it on the table. "Let's go inside and change you two."

It wasn't until they went back into the apartment and tried to get the Androids to wear human clothes that Wheatley and Angie discovered that the android's clothes were in fact attached to them (except for the shoes, which were mismatched anyway). In lieu of actually taking their clothes off, Wheatley and Angie decided to just have them wear clothes over their original clothing. They didn't look uncomfortable, but it meant P-Body was restricted to some of Lil's old dresses and skirts (which Lil didn't really have a plethora of).

"Clothing is what humans wear on a daily basis to keep themselves warm or something, Miss Lil didn't quite explain it to me." Wheatley watched as the androids looked over the clothes they were wearing. "Don't worry, when you're around the apartment, you don't have to wear those clothes. But when we go out, you have to wear something else. It just makes sense or people think you're…what did Miss Lil call it?" Wheatley looked down at Angie, who scratched her head. "I think she said 'dirty'." She answered, simply.

Wheatley smiled and nodded. "Well, either way, humans wear clothes. Remember that." Wheatley looked down and saw Angie giggling. "What is it, Tiny Human?" he asked.

"Does that mean when they are here, they are walking around in their underwear?" she laughed.

Wheatley actually put some thought into what she said and started to sputter in his laughter. "I…I guess so!" he laughed, softly.

ATLAS and P-Body looked at each other and then back to the two laughing humans. ATLAS chattered something. "Underwear? Oh, it's what humans wear under their clothes. Miss Lil says it's to keep the over clothes clean and to prevent chaffing." Wheatley's laughter settled down after a bit. "Chaffing is very uncomfortable, I must admit."

P-Body chattered something in her little mechanical chirping. "What does human underwear look like?" Wheatley blushed as he translated, not noticing Angie had started taking off her clothes.

"Like this." She said, happily, standing in nothing but a pink tank top and polka-dotted stockings.

Wheatley panicked. "Tiny Human, put your clothes back on!" he shouted, covering his eyes.

"She asked a question!" Angie whined as she put her dress back on.

Wheatley took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. "You should see Mr. Wheatley's underwear! It's funny!" Angie laughed, as she straightened up her dress.

The androids looked at Wheatley hopefully. "No, I am not stripping down to my underpants for you two, especially not in front of a child." Wheatley shouted, hiding his blushing cheeks. The androids egged him on and Wheatley finally relented. "Fine, I'll do it. Tiny Human, turn around." He commanded. Angie put her hands over her eyes and turned around.

"This is embarrassing…" Wheatley started to unzip his pants when he looked up at the androids. "I can't do it if you're watching!" he said, nervously. The androids turned around and listened to the shuffling of clothes as Wheatley got undressed. "Alright, you can turn around now." The androids did just that.

Wheatley stood in front of the two in nothing but an undershirt and boxers. ATLAS pointed at Wheatley's yellow happy face boxers and started laughing loudly. P-Body (who would be blushing if she could) giggled softly as Wheatley shivered a bit. Angie turned around and started laughing as well. "I told you not to look!" Wheatley shouted, covering himself with his hands. "Miss Lil yells at me whenever I forget to put my clothes on in the morning, or after taking a shower. Granted, I should know better and I have been human for a good little while, but I still get confused."

Angie giggled softly and started taking off her dress again. "What are you doing?!" Wheatley shouted.

"Lil and I used to have days were we wouldn't get dressed at all. She called them 'Lazy Underwear Days'. We used to do it a lot when my parents were alive." Wheatley rubbed his forehead as Angie chased after the androids, who seemed to be distracted by something in the living room.

"Well, that was informative." said Wheatley, picking up Angie's dress.

"So, now what should we teach them?" asked Angie. Wheatley looked at the clock on the cable box.

"First, you're going to put your clothes back on." Wheatley scolded.

"Then what?" Angie asked softly, placing her dress beside her.

Wheatley scratched his chin. "Lunch…" he said happily. "I believe a lunch outing is in order, if I do say so myself."

"A picnic!" Angie shouted, happily.

Wheatley scratched his chin again. "That's a pretty good idea." He mumbled, looking around for the androids. He blinked softly and noted that they had taken off the clothes they were given and now sitting over something in the living room. "Do you two want to go on a picnic? Of course, you won't be able to eat anything, but some fresh air is…"

Wheatley looked down and watched as P-Body started rebuilding the broken game console. "What are you doing?! Miss Lil will kill me!" Wheatley shouted, trying to yank P-Body from her work. P-Body pushed him away and kept working. Even a few smacks from the ruler couldn't distract P-Body.

ATLAS grabbed the ruler from Wheatley and started smacking him with it. "Ow! Stop that it…Ow, Ow, OW!" Wheatley covered his head, trying to get ATLAS to stop. As ATLAS chattered something loudly at Wheatley (which could be translated as "Does it hurt? I hope it hurts!"), Angie sat next to P-Body and watched her work her magic.

P-Body smiled at Angie, both ignoring Wheatley's painful cries for help and ATLAS's insane laughter. P-Body pointed to something and Angie picked it up for her. "Here you go, Miss Pee-Bee." Angie said, with a smile.

After a little while (and when the ruler finally broke), P-Body walked up to Wheatley and presented her finished project. "It's…fixed?" he asked, fixing his glasses. Wheatley looked at it and handed it back to P-Body. She smiled and walked over to hook it up. ATLAS chattered something to Wheatley, who in turn nodded. "So, she's good with machines, you say?" he asked softly. ATLAS nodded and pointed to the television. The game console seemed to be working fine, if not better than before.

Wheatley sat on the couch with ATLAS and watched as Angie played video games. P-Body clapped happily at her handy work as ATLAS joined Angie in her game. "I guess you guys have talents I never expected." Wheatley whispered softly. P-Body looked at Wheatley and smiled as she chattered something. "Miss Lil's underwear?" he blushed, softly. "Well, she yells at me whenever I go near her laundry basket, but I guess she won't mind if I showed you her clothes real quick." Wheatley blushed.

Near the kitchen sat a laundry basket full of clean clothes. Wheatley assumed Lil had finished doing laundry last night and was too tired to do any folding. "Miss Lil's laundry is a bit different than mine or Tiny Human's. You could say Tiny Human's clothes are a miniature version of Miss Lil's." Wheatley laughed, as he watched P-Body dig through the basket.

P-Body pulled out a red pair of lace panties with a little red bow on the front. Wheatley blushed as P-Body handed it to him, asking what it was. "These are…" Wheatley started sweating and swallowed hard. The little red lace number sat in his hands for a moment before P-Body took them back. "Umm…uhhh…I think Miss Lil calls them panties…they…umm…"

P-Body blinked and put them on her head. She smiled happily and pointed to her new "hat". Wheatley wanted to tell her it wasn't a hat but he couldn't stop laughing.

She reached in again, this time pulling out a bra. It was black lace with a little pink bow in the front. Wheatley turned a deep shade of red. "Oh…oh my…that is a bra. That is Miss Lil's bra!" he stuttered, trying to keep his composure. He gulped hard and took it from P-Body. "It holds up her…umm…" P-Body made a cup motion in front of her chest. "Yes, those things…not sure what they are, but they are nice…" Wheatley blushed, though he had never seen Lil without clothes on before.

At that time, the front door to the apartment opened up, revealing Lil. "Hey you guys, I closed the store for lunch and thought I'd check on…"

Lil looked around. Most of the apartment was covered in dust from the vacuum explosion and old clothing from when the androids tried them on. Angie was in her underclothes and so was Wheatley; and he was holding one of her bras. "What is going on here?!" she shouted. Wheatley looked at Lil, panicked.

"Miss Lil, I know this looks bad, but let me explain…" Wheatley had forgotten he was holding one of Lil's bras. He shoved it behind his back and blushed softly.

"This place is a mess! What's worse, you're going through my underwear!" Lil shouted pointing to the bra behind Wheatley's back. "And why is she wearing a pair of my panties on her head?!" Lil shouted, pointing to P-Body.

After explaining everything to the best of his abilities (and after getting dressed), Wheatley's "Human Lessons" had finally come to an end, at least by Lil's influence. "Well, despite the fact that I literally caught you with your pants down and the apartment is a mess, I guess you did a good job. And I have good news as well." said Lil, as Wheatley finished putting his clothes back on. "My part-timers quit now that the college has started up classes again so I need some help down in the store for the holiday season coming up."

Wheatley looked at Lil, then to the androids, then back to her again. "Miss Lil, they can't talk, so they won't be very helpful." said Wheatley. Lil shook her head and smiled. "No, nothing like that, Wheaters; I mean like doing the grunt work. Lifting and stocking and just generally helping out in the store and around the apartment."

Nodding softly, Wheatley watched as Lil walked over to the androids and voiced her idea. He watched as they nodded happily and as Angie explained what happened to the game console and how P-Body fixed it. Lil looked impressed and patted P-Body on the shoulder. Wheatley sat at the computer and sighed softly.

_Later that evening_

"Hey, Wheaters! There you are!" said Lil, happily as she walked out onto the roof. Wheatley spent most of the evening putting things away in the storage shed on top of the roof. The roof top garden seemed somewhat bare, as the spring and summer months were now gone. "P-Body is almost done making dinner. After I convinced her the strainer isn't a hat, she found one of my cookbooks and started making pasta. It's amazing how fast those two learn!"

Wheatley nodded softly as he locked the storage shed up. "Sorry your 'human lessons' didn't go so well. I bet you had a lot to teach them." Lil giggled as Wheatley turned to face her.

"Well, you were right, Miss Lil; how can I teach being human if I barely know anything about it myself? Those two grasped the concept almost immediately. I'm still grasping the colorful cube thing you took from me. They are better at being human than me, and I'm an actual human!"

Lil giggled softly and placed her hand on Wheatley's shoulder. "If it makes you feel any better, Wheaters, they are robots. They're probably programed to be that way. Computers are great, but it's no replacement for the real thing. I think I prefer you over those two. Granted, P-Body can fix things and ATLAS is pretty strong, but you're Wheatley, the human expert." Lil laughed, patting Wheatley on the back. Lil kissed Wheatley's cheek and started walking away. "Come on. Let's get back inside before those two break something else. They haven't mastered humanity yet." Lil giggled, as Wheatley blushed, following her inside.

It was late at night when Wheatley was awakened by a soft pounding on his bedroom door. Putting on his glasses, Wheatley rubbed his head and walked to his bedroom door. Upon opening it, he saw P-Body standing there with a smile on her face. "P-Body…what's wrong?" he asked, as she pulled him toward the living room.

The living room was dark, but Wheatley could make out ATLAS by the light coming from the balcony. He was standing in front of the computer. Making sure not to wake Lil or Angie, Wheatley walked as softly as he could towards the computer. "What's going on?" he asked.

ATLAS chattered something to Wheatley. "She…she wants to speak to me? GLaDOS wants to talk to me? How do you know that? When did she tell you?" asked Wheatley. ATLAS tapped the side of his head and chattered something else. "Oh, built in communicator; that makes sense, seeing as you're both robots." Wheatley looked a little nervous. He hadn't talked (or even thought about) GLaDOS since the wedding incident after the doctors removed his implant. The bald spot was mostly gone, but unless pointed out, nobody noticed.

"How do I do that? The nice doctors took out my implant." He muttered, softly. The androids pointed to Lil's computer. P-Body chattered something to ATLAS, who nodded as he reached into a little tub of various computer things that Lil kept close by. Pulling up his hair, ATLAS produced a small metal node, which allowed P-Body to connect a cable from him to Lil's computer. "Wait, wait! Miss Lil doesn't like it when…"

ATLAS's eyes went blank and the computer automatically turned on. The monitor blinked a few times before showing an odd assortment of pictures and eventually stopping at the Aperture Science logo. It blinked a few times before ATLAS opened his eyes. They were yellow…

Wheatley didn't hear Lil open her door slightly. She had heard voices and got up to see what the commotion was. Lil didn't want Wheatley to know she was listening.

"_Hello, idiot."_ said GLaDOS, through ATLAS's mouth. His actions were being controlled by GLaDOS and all it took was a small cable that plugged into a computer. ATLAS folded his arms in a disapproving manner. Wheatley nodded his hello and swallowed nervously. _"It's been a little while since I've checked in. How have you been? I've been doing pretty well, considering. I found a way to communicate with you through this wireless signal the human's computer gives off. The only problem is I have to use one of these two as a…shall we say, 'Go Between'. I can tell you've missed me, but we have no time for pleasantries."_

Everything about what was happening at that moment was scaring Wheatley. _"I couldn't help but notice you let human doctors take the very important and very expensive Aperture Science Observational Implant out of your head after it's little…malfunction. Do you still have it?"_ she asked, with ATLAS holding out his hand as if expecting something.

Wheatley shook his head. "No, I don't. I don't know what the doctors did with it. They probably threw it away for all I know. I don't think they'd very well keep something that they just pulled from my head. I sure didn't want it. Where would I keep it? That'd be disgusting. And I didn't let them do anything. They had no choice. I was unconscious! If it stayed in my head, I would have died from whatever it was it was doing to me."

Wheatley watched as ATLAS vibrated in an angry fashion. ATLAS's eyes turned a darker yellow, probably indicating that GLaDOS was pretty mad. _"Listen, you idiot: If I didn't want my research so badly I wouldn't have sent these two out here to babysit you! I may not be able to see through your eyes anymore, but that doesn't mean you still don't owe me for almost destroying my facility! It may have been over twenty-five years ago, but I still remember it as if it were yesterday! As far as I'm concerned, you will NEVER fully pay me back for taking over my facility, turning me into a potato, and almost killing everything within a hundred mile radius! I wonder if Lil knows she and her sister came within five minutes of not existing at all because your stupidity!"_

Swallowing hard, Wheatley twiddled his thumbs as ATLAS stopped vibrating. _"I've decided that since I can't see through your eyes, I will see through theirs. The Aperture Science Cooperative Testing Initiative Robots are here to keep tabs on you, since I no longer can. Think of these two as your sidekicks_." GLaDOS made ATLAS point to himself and to P-Body. _"They are your responsibility. Keep them safe, walk them, play with them, clean up after them, and just generally don't screw up!"_

ATLAS twitched around for a bit and finally disengaged the cable from the node in the back of his head. His expression was one of discomfort and dizziness. The computer monitor went back into its off mode. Wheatley balanced himself against the computer chair. "Even through these robots, she still somehow controls me." Wheatley lamented, as he went to sit at the counter. P-Body smacked Wheatley's back a few times in an attempt to cheer him up. Her hard robotic smacks hurt, but Wheatley smiled anyway.

P-Body chirped something reassuring to ATLAS as he regained his composure. Wheatley watched the two androids comfort each other. Something about watching the androids hug and make comforting sounds to each other made Wheatley's chest tighten. Wheatley wondered this feeling for a moment. These two were literally designed for each other. Wheatley found their friendship fascinating. He smiled and watched the two look around the apartment.

"Looks like we're stuck with each other, eh?" Wheatley laughed softly. The androids nodded and stood up straight. "Well, before we begin our partnership, I just want to say that I'm still learning how to be human too. I may not be the best teacher, but I'll try. Miss Lil and Tiny Human are wonderful teachers, seeing as they are actually humans, but I can pass on everything I've learned. Just leave everything to Wheatley; if anything, we can learn together, right?"

The androids nodded and followed Wheatley down the hallway. "We are pretty much the same, I guess, except I'm more fleshy and squishy." Wheatley laughed. The androids chuckled softly as Wheatley saw them back to the kitchen pantry. "Maybe I can talk Miss Lil into letting you stay in my room with me or something. That pantry can't be comfortable."

Lil listened softly as the robots reassured Wheatley that the pantry was fine and heard Wheatley wish the two a good night. Lil wasn't sure what to make of what she just heard. She decided to meditate on it in the morning, when she wasn't as tired. Lil closed her door softly and sat on the edge of her bed. "Gladys the Evil Queen…" she muttered, looking at a picture of her parents.

Wheatley returned to his room and shut the door quietly, as not to wake up Angie across the hallway. Wheatley lay down on his bed and sighed softly. Staring at the ceiling, he wondered how Lil would react to meeting GLaDOS. It was a scary thought: Miss Lady's daughter meeting the giant computer that intended on testing her until she died. Wheatley shook the thought out of his head and tried to sleep. He didn't want to think of such horrible things. He felt GLaDOS was up to something more sinister than research.

Wheatley decided that no matter what GLaDOS had planned, he had to protect Lil and Angie.

* * *

><p><strong>N'cha everyone!<strong>

**Before I begin, I want to give a HUGE thank you to my good friend Sparky16 for helping me with this chapter. I was stuck on a huge hump and she helped me over it. Go check out her stories and some of her artwork over at deviantart. She is just awesome!**

**I would like to apologize for this taking so long, I hit a few bumps in the road but I worked extra hard (and got a little help from a good friend mentioned above). And it wasn't just fic humps; it was personal life humps as well. But, we all persevere, right? I'm just happy to get this out to you guys.**

**So, I finally picked up my copy of Skyrim the other day and let me tell you, I am enjoying it very much. It hadn't been taking up a huge chunk of my time, because I can't seem to get addicted to games like that. But I am enjoying the experience so far, so I highly recommend it.**

**After this chapter, I'm going to be working on a one-shot spin-off for my above mentioned friend, so keep a look out for that, alright? I promise you guys will enjoy it.**

**Well, as always, my lovey doves, review and be merry. I enjoy feedback very much as it gives me a chance to see what my readers think and how much they liked it. I appreciate all feedback (please don't flame) and as always if you guys have any questions, feel free to ask in a review or in the private message thingy. I appreciate everyone's support and look forward to writing the next chapter. I got some goodies planned out for you guys, so stay tuned!**

**Wheatley, GLaDOS, ATLAS, and P-Body belong to Valve.**


	17. Weekly Observations of Wheatley

_Reconstructing Humanity_

Weekly Observations of Wheatley

**Monday**

Dear Journal,

Hello! It's Wheatley again!

Oh my, today started very early. I awoke to a pretty nice smell. I wasn't sure what it was until I went to the kitchen. Miss Lil was making breakfast. This marks the first time since ATLAS and P-Body have lived here that Miss Lil has made breakfast. I heard them up pretty late last night doing…whatever it is they do when everyone else is asleep, so I assumed the two were still recharging. I absolutely LOVE Miss Lil's cooking, so I didn't mind one bit. Tiny Human didn't seem too thrilled about it.

Miss Lil made omelets and hash browns and some of that stuff she calls coffee. I've only had coffee a few times since being human and every time, Miss Lil has had to take the cup away from me whenever I get too jittery. I just think she wants it all to herself. That mess is delicious! And the café next door offers so many varieties of it! Who knew there was so much of one thing? I tried each kind the other day when Miss Lil closed the store to take Tiny Human to the doctors. Miss Lil wasn't too happy when she woke up that night to me scrubbing the floors like a madman. She banned coffee from the apartment for a little while after that.

Before the store opened but after Tiny Human went to school, Miss Lil decided it was time to teach me how to drive. All of us (Me, Miss Lil, and the Androids) drove out toward the wheat field on the old highway so we wouldn't be bothered too much. Miss Lil is such a good teacher. She told me just to stay calm and don't panic. I didn't panic at all, though Miss Lil did a lot of screaming whenever I pushed too hard on the pedal thingy.

According to Miss Lil, one pedal makes the car go faster and the other makes it stop. I kept getting the two confused and Miss Lil took the wheel from me a few times to keep us from hitting trees. I don't know why she was so mad at me, it was fun! The Androids wanted to have a go, but Miss Lil decided it was best to stop for the day and try again another time. I thought I was getting pretty good; I wasn't sure why Miss Lil kept screaming during the lesson. How very curious.

The bookstore is doing well for the most part. Miss Lil says business has been doing great with all the students back in town, and most of the store's sales coming from text books. Apparently, those are quite expensive, so Miss Lil didn't look too worried when the morning started out slow. The part-timers she hired had to quit because of their classes starting back up a few weeks back, and she has been down there constantly. When I asked her if she was going to hire new ones, she told me she might after Thanksgiving, but as of right now, me and the androids will suffice. I wonder what Thanksgiving is…

I am happy to report ATLAS and P-Body are getting along well with everyone, especially Tiny Human. I like having them around. It's nice to have kindred spirits (as Miss Lil calls it) from the facility to talk to. Miss Lil has them doing chores and other things around the apartment and the store. They don't seem to mind. ATLAS likes showing off his strength by lifting the heavy boxes and furniture, and P-Body busies herself with everything else.

For lunch, Miss Lil's friend, Miss May from the café next door, brought us some sandwiches they are trying at the Teacake Café. Some kind of new sandwich made with avocado (whatever that is) and peppers. It made my stomach hurt, but I ate it all anyway, just to be polite. I spent the rest of the afternoon in the lavatory. I didn't want to tell Miss May that her sandwich idea was bad, so Miss Lil did that for me.

This evening after Tiny Human came home from school, we found one of our neighbors about to throw out a small motorized bike. Miss Lil said it's called a scooter and it's like a smaller motorcycle. She then explained to me what a motorcycle was. Miss Lil identified it as a "Vespa 300 GTS Super" whatever the hell that means. She looked quite impressed with it. Apparently it's a good brand. Never heard of it me-self.

Miss Lil asked why he was throwing it out, since it looked brand new. The neighbor told us that he had just recently bought it off a friend who left to study abroad but it didn't work properly. He tried everything to get it to work right, but no matter what he tried, it kept breaking down. Miss Lil had a brilliant idea (she always has good ideas) and had the Androids look at it. It took P-Body less than an hour to fix it up.

The neighbor was only a little unhappy because he already bought a new one. He told us that since we fixed it up, we could have it. He even gave us one of his spare helmets! Miss Lil was skeptical at first, since she hadn't ridden a scooter since high school. Still not sure what high school is. Tiny Human suggested I give it a go. It was really fun riding around on that thing! I rode the scooter better than I drove the car, according to Miss Lil. She refuses to let me use it until she is sure I can handle it. Tiny Human said she'll try to butter her up a bit. It won't work. Tiny Human may be frighteningly adorable, but I think Miss Lil has a very strong immunity to it.

Tiny Human always says that Miss Lil is a bad cook. I don't know why she thinks that. I think Miss Lil is a wonderful cook. For dinner, after my stomach stopped making those horrid sounds, Miss Lil made a quite delicious meal made from only vegetables. Stuffed porta-ballo mushrooms, I believe that's how it's pronounced. Tiny Human didn't eat much of it, so she went to bed without dessert. She didn't seem too broken up about it. I can't imagine not having some of Miss Lil's fruit cocktail. She makes it herself and it is delicious!

I asked Miss Lil when she thinks it'll be safe to take the scooter out for another ride. She told me probably not until the cold weather passes. The roads are dangerous during the cold weather and the city during the holiday season is not the ideal place to ride around on a scooter.

**Tuesday**

I'm not sure why, but something I did today made Miss Lil particularly angry.

When I awoke this morning, Miss Lil looked quite panicked. When I asked her what was wrong, she told me she had to get some things from the grocery store. I told her that didn't seem like a big problem, that we could all go after the bookstore closes tonight. She then informed me today was the last day to pick up turkey when it was on sale and all the good ones would be gone by the time we closed later. Miss Lil then said she was debating whether or not to open the store late to get it done.

She looked like she didn't want to do it, so I told her I could do it, so she wouldn't have to close down the store. Miss Lil looked a bit unsure at first, but I flashed the ol' Wheatley charm and she relented. She probably thought I was trying to find an excuse to use the scooter, because she told me to go on foot. It's not like I'm obsessed with using that thing. It's a motorized bicycle on wheels, for crying out loud!

"_Listen, Wheatley…" _she said to me in a very firm, yet still lovely, voice._ "It is very important that you get these things. I like to do this kind of shopping early in the week, but the bookstore has been oddly busy lately. Normally, I'd do it myself, but with the store getting this kind of business this time of year, I can't just close the store down. Here is a list of things I need you to get for me today. Do NOT deviate from the list. The list is central. Get everything on this list as you see it. No side trips, no frolics down the candy aisle, and no trying to save the lobsters from the lobster tank again! The market has finally let us come back, so don't do anything to get us kicked out."_

Miss Lil then proceeded to tell me everything she needed: Eggs, milk, a small turkey (no more than a few pounds), cranberry sauce (one can), two boxes of stuffing (turkey flavored), a bag of apples, a small bag of potatoes, two cans of green beans, and a small bag of corn (on the cob).

Miss Lil finished writing the list and looked at me with an unsure look._ "You do remember where the market is, right?"_

I told Miss Lil not to worry, that I have everything I need. After I made sure I had my wallet and my pants on (not making that mistake again), I confidently left on my errand for Miss Lil. I came back a minute or so later just to clarify where I was going…in case she forgot. Miss Lil then handed me a post-it thingy with the list and directions.

I hate post-its. I don't know how she flawlessly takes them off one another. I always get them stuck on my arm, my fingers, my forehead…still not sure how that happened. This little post-it that Miss Lil gave me stayed neatly folded in my front pocket.

As I walked down the sidewalk, I realized I forgot to ask Miss Lil why she needed a turkey in the first place. What I found odd is that she needed a WHOLE turkey. Who can eat an entire turkey? She must have made a mistake, because we never get a whole turkey whenever Miss Lil gets lunch meats, which is rare, seeing as she is a veggie…veggie…umm…that thing where people only eat vegetables. And even then she only gets the ultra-thin chicken slices. Miss Lil makes an exception for poultry every now and then.

When I arrived at the market, I was greeted by the bag boy from last time. He told me he had his eye on me and proceeded to follow me around the store. I told him I could handle my own shopping and that I was sure he had better things to do than follow me around. He wouldn't budge. I noted the lobster tank wasn't where it used to be and he didn't say anything.

To my horror, when I reached into my pocket to get the list, it was gone! Someone had stolen my grocery list! My wallet was fine, thankfully, but Miss Lil's list was gone! I didn't want to panic in front of the bag boy, so I decided to use my vast intellect to remember the list. It wasn't hard.

I came home about lunchtime when Miss Lil had just walked into the apartment to make her lunch. I triumphantly handed her the groceries and smiled wide. I told her someone had stolen her list but I remembered everything she needed and more! Miss Lil didn't look to happy to hear that.

She then proceeded to take everything out of the bags. Miss Lil looked surprised at the things I bought. I bet she didn't think I could do it by myself, but grocery shopping is actually quite fun! Oh, I had a whale of a time picking everything out! Candy eggs, chocolate milk, ultra-thin turkey lunch meat slices, cranberry juice, two boxes of turkey related stuff, a bag of oranges, small bag of potato chips, a green can of beans, and a small box of popcorn; everything on the list!

Miss Lil muttered a few things and told me to watch the store while she is gone. She angrily grabbed her purse and coat and slammed the apartment door as she left. The androids were in the apartment doing random chores and ATLAS noted that Miss Lil's body temperature skyrocketed when I finished speaking. She must have been so proud she was gushing!

She later came home with more things from the grocery store. I must have forgotten something.

**Wednesday**

Miss Lil told me to go pick up Tiny Human from school today since she was getting out early. When I asked why, Miss Lil told me it was because of Thanksgiving break. I asked her what that was, and she told me it was a day to be thankful for all that we have. Still not sure where the turkey comes in, though; before I could ask, she told me to go get Tiny Human, as her school gets out soon. She let me take the scooter since it would be faster than walking. That and the buses don't go by the school at lunch time.

I asked if she was going to be alright by herself, she giggled and told me she had ATLAS and P-Body just in case things got crazy. It is nice that Miss Lil has started getting used to having those two around. I wonder if she knows that GLaDOS is recording everything through their eyes. I hope not. The other day, Miss Lil got dressed in front of P-Body. I bet GLaDOS found that quite unpleasant. I would have found it…informative…in the name of science of course! I'm not a pervert! I swear! If anything, I should delete those so Miss Lil wouldn't be embarrassed!

_*Note to self - find a way to download recordings from Androids*_

Oh, man alive, that scooter is fun to ride on! And it goes so fast! Miss Lil did explain that the "Vespa 300 GTS Super" can go up to eighty miles per hour. I have no idea what that means, but it is very fun to go very fast, but apparently it makes those otherwise very nice police officers angry.

Miss Lil told me to take two helmets; one for me and one for Tiny Human. Hers is so small, like a little elf helmet! Not sure why an elf would need a helmet, but otherwise it was absolutely adorable. Upon arriving at the school, Tiny Human had already been let out. She made her way up to me just as I parked the scooter.

"_Mr. Wheatley, Lil let you ride the scooter today?"_ she asked, after giving me a big hug. I nodded happily and helped her on. Tiny Human seems to know a great deal about putting on a helmet. She told me Miss Lil makes her wear that helmet whenever she rides her bike. I commented that I've never ridden a bike before. Tiny Human told me it was "ironic" seeing as the scooter is basically a motorized bike. Still trying to figure out the meaning of the word "irony", though. I told her to hang on tight, which she did, and we zoomed off.

I tell you, journal, the city is a wondrous place when you're zooming around on that scooter. Tiny Human seemed to be enjoying herself, even though she held on to me pretty tightly. She seemed to enjoy the speed bumps the most. If I'm honest, they were my favorite part too.

When I made her promise not to tell Miss Lil, Tiny Human and I stopped for ice cream. She assured me she wouldn't tell a soul. While sitting and enjoying our delicious frozen dairy treats, I took the opportunity to ask Tiny Human what this Thanksgiving business was all about. She smiled wide and mentioned it was probably the one time of year that Miss Lil could cook right. I still don't see why she keeps calling Miss Lil a bad cook. I love her little veggie creations!

Tiny Human told me that hundreds of years ago (according to her teacher), a bunch of people came from overseas to start a new life. It wasn't easy, and these people called "Native Americans" helped them. To show thanks, these people ("Pilgrims") invited the "Native Americans" to a feast and now every year people eat a lot to celebrate. Tiny Human didn't look too satisfied with the answer provided by her teacher. She then told me she prefers Miss Lil's reasoning: that it is a day to be thankful for all that we have and not to take anything for granted. I think I like that one too. Not as much to remember.

Upon returning home, Tiny Human and I went straight into the bookstore, where Miss Lil was having the androids set up everything. _"We're going to be closed tomorrow to observe Thanksgiving, but the day after is going to be a very big day!"_ she announced. She then told me to put on my name tag and stock up all the shelves in the front of the store.

We ordered pizza tonight because we were all too exhausted to do anything else. The entire store was cleaned, stocked up, and moved around. I think I made a fatal mistake when asking Miss Lil if she should look into purchasing a bigger store. She didn't say anything to me and just watched T.V. I hope I didn't strike a nerve.

What an odd thing to wake up to in the middle of the night! I got up just now to use the bathroom and found Miss Lil cooking! I approached her and asked what on earth she was doing. She looked tired and it was obvious she had a few cups of coffee already. She told me cooking the big turkey takes hours, since the store was out of smaller turkeys. I then proceeded to repeat my previous question and Miss Lil looked sad. She told me she had been thinking about purchasing a bigger store for a while, but couldn't bring herself to actually do it.

I didn't want to press the issue more, but she told me that this had been her and Tiny Human's home since they were born and often felt bad about the very thought of leaving it behind. Miss Lil looked sad, so I gave her a hug. She seemed to like it.

I liked it, too…

**Thursday**

So much food!

I can say with all honesty that I have NEVER eaten so much good food in one sitting before (not counting the time I ate all of Miss Lil's "secret" chocolate). I think I could grow to like this Thanksgiving thing. If it means Miss Lil cooks all this yummy food each year, then I think it could grow on me.

The stuffing was the best part! I had a few helpings of that. I absolutely love that stuff!

After eating, I had this overwhelming urge to fall asleep. We all kept teetering in and out of this delicious concept Miss Lil called "food coma" (the androids did too, even though they didn't eat). We all sat on the couch and watched the parade on the telly. I have never seen balloons that big in my entire time as a human. They are huge! People sitting on these moving stages waving and singing and these bands playing such lovely jaunty tunes! Oh I would have loved to have been there!

Tiny Human had fallen asleep in between the androids on the floor while Miss Lil seemed to like leaning against me. I didn't mind at all, especially when she told me I made a good pillow. I felt more than flattered when moaned happily as she fell asleep. When I asked her if she would be more comfortable on her bed, she shushed me and said, _"Pillows don't talk, Wheaters."_

**Friday**

I hate to wake up this late at night, but I had another dream, journal! Oh man, it was frightening!

It seemed just like the last one I remember writing about. All I could hear was an alert and I could feel myself running out of breath, but I urged myself to keep running. I had something in my hand; it looked like a CD case with a disk inside. Why was I running with it?

In the dream, as always, I think I am in Aperture again. I'm…myself. At least, I think it's me. I don't really understand what my dreams are trying to tell me. Was this person me? I still don't understand. Well, anyway, when the dream started, I was holding the disk case close to me, telling everyone it was a mistake and it will only get worse. What was a mistake? I should probably continue. I just kept yelling, _"It was a mistake! I didn't know you were going to use for this! Don't you get it? I can't allow this to be used like that anymore! I won't become one! You can't make me!"_

Why was I screaming like a raving maniac at all those people? I don't know why, but for some reason, I knew where I was running. It was like I was running somewhere specific. Something in my head was telling me to destroy the disk, but I couldn't stop running. I had to focus on getting out. The disk…why didn't I destroy the disk if it was so evil? As I was running, I kept muttering _"I can't become one of them!"_

Become one of them…like the cores? I didn't understand what the other people in the room were saying before I started running; something about _"duty as a researcher"_ and _"in the name of science"._

I didn't want to say anything, but for the past few nights, I keep hearing a sound near the balcony of the apartment. No one else claims to hear it, not even the Androids and their super-sonic hearing pick up anything. Miss Lil told me it's probably just a stray cat or something near the trash cans. I really want to believe Miss Lil, but it doesn't sound like a cat. Granted, I've seen a cat maybe once since living as a human, but it definitely didn't make that sound.

Lately, the sound has been heard later and later on in the night. Something is trying to get my attention. I just wish I knew what. Miss Lil told me to just let it be and it will stop bothering me. I don't think that's the case. I don't want to go against Miss Lil's wishes, but this sound is driving me absolutely livid. It keeps calling to me, as if saying _"Wheatley! Wheatley! Come home!"_

Come home? I am home though, aren't I? Maybe it has something to do with those dreams I keep having of that girl. I've told you about the girl, haven't I, Journal? Yes, the pretty lady that only appears in my dreams. I think her name is "Pam". In my dreams, it's like I know exactly what I am doing, but when I wake up, it's like I have no idea what's going on.

It's like I'm two different Wheatley's...

I wish I could tell this to other people, but sometimes I don't feel like the "Real" Wheatley. I know I'm Wheatley, but this man in my dreams (Me, I guess) seemed to have it more together than I do now. If we are the same man, why don't I feel like him? Sometimes, I feel he is the "Real" Wheatley and I'm just an imposter. An imposter Wheatley…a fake…a phony; what do you suppose this means?

This is one of the only times I think I miss GLaDOS chiming in. Aside from her snide remarks and mocking nature, she was actually helpful. Most of the time, I believe. I wish I knew…

Oh…be back in a minute, journal…there it is again…

* * *

><p><strong>N'cha, everyone!<strong>

**So, filler chapter is filler, am I right?**

**So, the reason this took so long is because I absolute SUCK at writing in the first person format. I avoid it as much as possible. For some reason, third person is just the format for me. I find it very hard to write in the first person, which is why I don't keep a journal anymore.**

**I wanted to give a little glimpse into Wheatley's day to day life right before the story starts taking it's more…shall we say, darker turn. Well, not so much darker, but it will start to become more serious. So, just a heads up now, get ready for it!**

**At this time, I want to thank you all for your reviews and your favs and alerts. I appreciate it very much. I'm quite a humble person, and my ego is…practically nonexistent, but it warms my heart to know that so many people enjoy my work. If you guys have read my profile, you'll note I'm also working on a novel at this time. Nothing special, just something from my heart. I might post excerpts from it on fictionpress sometime, but I dunno yet.**

**Well, as always, reviews and criticism is appreciated, so review at your leisure, my loves! Please, enjoy the story and let me know how you feel!**

**GLaDOS, Wheatley, ATLAS and P-Body belong to Valve.**


	18. Fever Dreams and Fairy Tales

_Reconstructing Humanity_

Fever Dreams and Fairy Tales

"_Cough, cough…"_

Those were the only sounds coming from Wheatley's room. This sensation was definitely something foreign to Wheatley, as he sat up in bed. He had woken up sweating and coughing. He was so sick he could barely open his eyes. It was when he stumbled into the kitchen earlier that morning sniffing and hacking his lungs up that Lil ushered Angie to the balcony and told Wheatley to go back to bed. He objected, saying he had promised Angie they'd go to the park that afternoon. Lil told Wheatley he wasn't going anywhere and pushed him back to his room while covering her face with a rag.

Lil didn't want to admit she was slightly mysophobic (the proper term for fear of germs), so she recruited P-Body to tend to poor, sick Wheatley. Lil waited behind ATLAS and Angie as P-Body left Wheatley's room. P-Body had been playing nurse since Wheatley had been shooed back into his room and she seemed to be enjoying it. Where P-Body got the cute nurse hat to go along with it all was anyone's guess. P-Body chattered something to ATLAS, who nodded and walked away.

"So, how does he look?" asked Lil as P-Body turned to her. P-Body chattered the prognosis to Lil, who attempted to understand. The way she was motioning to her chest made Lil guess congestion. When P-Body touched her head, Lil guessed Wheatley had a high temperature. The next few motions took a little more guess work, but Lil correctly identified stuffy nose, headache, and shivers after a few tries.

Angie clapped when P-Body was done with her little charade. "That was fun!" Angie announced.

Lil shook her head and sighed. "I told him he'd get sick if he left the house this time of year without proper clothing." She murmured, folding her arms. P-Body just stared at Lil as she muttered angrily. "What the Hell was he doing outside at that time of night, anyway?" she asked. P-Body just shrugged.

Rubbing her forehead with two fingers, Lil sighed and followed P-Body to the living room. Angie stayed by Wheatley's door, and listened to Wheatley's moans of illness. "Angie, get away from Wheatley's door. I don't want you catching anything." Lil scolded from the living room.

Angie sulked toward the living room and plopped herself on the couch next to Lil. "How did Mr. Wheatley get sick?" Angie asked, as Lil picked up a book from the coffee table.

"Mr. Wheatley decided to take a midnight stroll in nothing but his underpants while it was raining last night." Lil scoffed, as she opened her book to its bookmarked page. Angie tried not to laugh as she imagined Wheatley in his underwear walking down the street. It was half way true that Lil had been woken up the night before by ATLAS and P-Body shuffling into their "outside clothes" (the clothes they wore when they left the apartment). Lil couldn't understand their chatter, so she told P-Body to stay in the apartment with Angie and followed ATLAS's directions in her Jeep until they came across Wheatley in nothing but his undershirt and a pair of boxers walking down the street as if in a trance.

And it wasn't the first time, either. A few days before, Lil had been contacted by the city police department when they found him trying to climb the fence to the old part of the city. Before that, Lil found Wheatley on the balcony shouting "Hello?" into the cold dark night. While Lil was concerned Wheatley was probably going insane, she reassured herself that this was probably Wheatley being Wheatley.

Lil didn't want to think about Wheatley being sick. She hated being sick and she hated it when the people she cared for were sick. It probably stemmed from all those years of watching her mother die a slow death from her own mysterious illness. But this wasn't some mysterious illness Wheatley had. It was a fever. Lil swallowed hard and tried to remember that. She tried to concentrate on her book, but that did little good. Lil looked up from her book and noticed ATLAS chattering something to P-Body. Usually, she had Wheatley translate, but this was obviously private. She watched ATLAS nod a few times and walk to put on his coat.

"Where is he going?" Lil asked, as P-Body walked over to Lil. P-Body made a few gestures while chattering. Lil cocked an eyebrow and looked down at Angie, who was drawing with her crayons. Lil handed P-Body a piece of paper and a crayon and told her to draw what he was saying. She drew a bottle with a medical cross. "Medicine? We have plenty of that here." Lil said softly. P-Body then drew another picture and showed it to Lil. It looked like an empty bottle. "We're out? How are we out?" Lil asked. P-Body just shrugged and waved as ATLAS left.

Lil assumed ATLAS was just going to the corner store and that he'd be back soon. It troubled Lil greatly to listen to Wheatley coughing loudly. Lil hated sickness, but her caring nature towards those she cared about made her get up and check on him. When she opened his door, she noted it was still dark. "Wheaters? How ya feeling?" she asked, trying to sound cheery.

His response was a loud sneeze and a groaning noise. Wheatley sounded like he had been hit by a train and he probably felt about the same. "I'm about to head down to the store. Do you need anything?" she asked, not even looking into his room. Wheatley sounded like he was about to answer, but instead made a horrible hacking noise. Lil closed Wheatley's bedroom door softly and shivered a bit from discomfort as she walked down the hall.

"P-Body, look after Wheatley while I'm running the store today, alright?" Lil commanded as she reached for her coat by the front door. P-Body nodded as Angie got up. "Keep Angie away from Wheatley's room, alright? I'll come back around lunchtime to check on you guys. No one leaves this apartment. Understood?"

P-Body nodded and waved as Lil left. Angie smiled at P-Body, who returned her smile with a grin of her own. "Let's go make sure Mr. Wheatley gets better, okay Miss Pee-Bee?" Angie looked eager. P-Body nodded and led the way to the kitchen. Angie sat on a stool near the counter. "Whenever I get sick, Lil makes me some soup. Can you make soup, Miss Pee-Bee?" Angie asked softly. P-Body shrugged and looked at Angie inquisitively. "It comes in a can, I think." Angie answered the imaginary question.

In his room, Wheatley reached for the glass of water P-Body left earlier that rested on his nightstand. It was a little difficult without glasses on. He had shivers and was trying his hardest not to spill any on his sheets. He was so far unsuccessful. Wheatley's throat was dry from the cough medicine P-Body had shoved down his throat earlier (he wasn't sure if it actually was medicine) and the water was a welcome relief. He rubbed his forehead softly and sighed.

"Miss Lil…" he moaned softly at the door. "I feel better…can I…" Wheatley coughed loudly, trying not to sputter his words. "…can I come out now? I feel much better than I did earlier, please let me leave my room!" he moaned. No answer. "Miss Lil?" he groaned louder. Wheatley fell back on his pillow and sighed. He heard his door open and looked up to see P-Body with a fresh glass of water. "Where is Miss Lil?" Wheatley groaned. P-Body chattered to him and took the previous glass with her as she left. "I'd love to be at the bookstore with Miss Lil…" he muttered as he picked a tissue from the box on the nightstand.

The door opened slowly and in peaked Angie, wearing P-Body's little nurse hat. "Mr. Wheatley, are you decent?" Angie made a habit of asking that after she accidently walked in on Wheatley getting dressed once. It was uncomfortable not just for him, but also for Lil, who had to answer all of Angie's awkward questions.

"Yes, Tiny Human…" Wheatley wheezed as he sat up. Angie slowly walked into Wheatley's room carrying a tray.

"Me and Miss Pee-Bee are going to take care of you today." Angie said happily.

"Where is ATLAS?" Wheatley asked.

Angie put down the tray and shrugged. "He left to get medicine. At least that's what his crayon drawing said."

Wheatley looked over at the tray Angie had sat down on his nightstand. "Miss Pee-Bee is making soup so I brought you your breakfast!" Angie said, happily. Wheatley grabbed the bowl and immediately set it back down, waving his hands about. "It's hot…" said Angie, as Wheatley blew on his hands. Angie handed him a rag and he promptly picked up his bowl of…whatever it was that Angie made. "I made it myself! It was a little watery at first, but I put another packet in to make it thicker! Eat up, Mr. Wheatley!" Angie happily skipped out of Wheatley's room and closed the door tightly.

Wheatley looked at the bowl of unknown breakfast material and noticed the spoon wouldn't move. "And she calls Miss Lil a bad cook! This is damn near inedible. Not even sure it's food. Might be cement…" he muttered as he tried to pull the spoon free from its prison. The handle of the spoon snapped off when he pulled.

"I'm not hungry anyway…" he muttered, placing the bowl on the nightstand. Wheatley laid down on his pillow and tried to get some sleep. He remembered Lil telling him once that sleep is the best thing for someone who is sick and Wheatley was definitely sick. Wheatley buried his face in his pillow and soon found himself asleep in no time.

_Wheatley was trying his hardest to get off the telephone. He had been awoken very early that morning, not by his alarm clock but by the phone going off. He was in the middle of trying to brush his teeth in between the random ramblings of his mother from all the way in England (she had no concept of time zones, apparently)._

"_Yes, Mum, I'm doing fine. The job is going great and Pam is fine…yes, I'm still dating Pam, I am capable of holding down a job and a serious relationship!" Wheatley shouted, toothpaste coming out of his mouth. Pam was already dressed and giggled as she listened in. "Mum, that was three years ago! I don't care if she's gotten married…well, many happy years for them, but I'm over her now!"_

_Pam couldn't help but giggle. Wheatley's mother didn't call much (international calls were expensive), but every time she did it was to update him on the status of the people from his old neighborhood. Today, it was the status of an old flame. Pam had never met Wheatley's parents, but she had a good feeling she'd enjoy his mother (providing she doesn't cook them dinner as Wheatley had warned Pam many times). Pam decided to stay out of this one and went to finish making breakfast. She wanted to make sure Wheatley was prepared for the day ahead._

"_Yes, I got your last letter, Mum. Please stop sending me money, I'm doing fine…I told you, she had to quit for medical reasons…no, I don't have much in savings, but we're not poverty stricken! We're…no, don't wake up Dad, he works hard and earns his time on the couch on his days off…no, I don't want to speak to Gran…look, Mum, I have to go I'm running late. Give my best to Dad, love you, bye!" Wheatley hung up and ran around to finish getting dressed. "You'd think all the money she spends on calling me all the way here she'd have more to say than 'Did you get the money we sent?' or 'I ran into your ex-girlfriend at the market'."_

_Pam giggled as she placed a plate on the counter and started cooking. She had gotten up early too and made him a big breakfast. Wheatley sat at the counter and rushed through his breakfast. "You're going to get a really nasty stomachache if you keep eating like that." Pam warned, as she turned around. _

_She didn't see Wheatley hold his stomach in agony. "I'm rooting for you today, Wheatley. I'll be waiting anxiously to hear how it went." Pam turned around as Wheatley sat up straight._

_As Pam started cleaning up from breakfast, Wheatley went around the counter and wrapped his arms around her. "Wish me luck!" He landed a few passionate kisses on her lips before trying to undo the top button on her jeans. Pam giggled and smacked his hand away. "Oh, come on, Love! I have a big presentation today! I'll need a little more luck than that!" Wheatley cooed, as he cradled Pam in his arms. _

"_No, Wheatley!" she giggled as she playfully broke free from his grip. "You're almost late enough as it is! You have to get going!"_

_Today was indeed Wheatley's big day. He had picked out a nice tie to wear and his cleanest shirt. "No clip-ons today!" Wheatley shouted happily, as he attempted to tie his tie. Pam watched as Wheatley attempted to fix his hair in his reflection in the microwave door and poured herself some orange juice._

"_Don't be out too late celebrating with your work buddies." Pam giggled as she finished pouring herself some juice. "I don't want you hung over on our anniversary like you were on my birthday." Wheatley kissed Pam on the cheek and made his way to his work bag by the door. _

"_I said I was sorry! How was I supposed to know I wasn't any good at those drinking games? I swear some of them were made up on the spot." Wheatley grabbed his work bag and gave Pam one more long passionate kiss before leaving. He stopped for a moment when he watched Pam grab her lower stomach._

"_Love, are you alright?" he asked, peaking his head back into the apartment. _

_Pam looked panicked. "Oh…yes, just an upset stomach is all. I ate too fast this morning what with all the excitement." Pam chuckled nervously. _

_With a soft sigh, Wheatley walked back into the apartment and kissed Pam again. "I can call in sick if you need me at home today. You come before Aperture." _

_While this reassured Pam, she refused. "No, no I'm fine, sweety. This is a big day. Hurry!" Pam pushed Wheatley out the door and waved to him. Wheatley had noticed Pam had been acting strangely lately. Her diet had changed; she looked more sluggish than usual, and just generally looked sick. Wheatley hoped in his heart of hearts that the medication wasn't failing. The doctor said there was a very slim chance the medication could stop working, but the chances were slim..._

_Wheatley didn't want to say anything to Pam, but he noticed she had put on a little weight. It was good that she was gaining her lost weight back, but Pam was sensitive about it. As he got into his car, Wheatley tried not to think about such things. He needed a positive attitude if he was going to make it through this day._

**KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK!**

Wheatley awoke from his dream with a jolt. He rubbed his head and reached for his glasses. "Come in…" he wheezed as he put on his glasses.

Angie trotted in with a tray of what smelled like cinnamon bread. "My mom used to make us sweets when we were sick." She cooed softly, as she replaced the previous tray with her current tray.

The smell of the cinnamon toast made Wheatley happy. Wheatley had never addressed the subject of Lil and Angie's mother (Chell) for fear it would upset the two girls. Wheatley didn't have to say anything as Angie sat in a nearby chair and smiled. "Mom loved sweets. She was so convinced that sugary foods were the cure for everything. Not that my dad complained much. I don't remember much about him, but Lil said he had an enormous sweet tooth. I do remember whenever Mom would make cake on Fridays he'd eat almost half of it."

Angie's little giggles gave Wheatley a warm feeling in his chest (he was hoping it wasn't congestion). "Tiny Human, did your mom ever talk about her past at all?" he asked softly.

Angie shook her head. "Not really. Of course, she never really talked at all. I don't remember much about Mom and Dad, but Lil tells me about them all the time. I miss Mom and Dad, but not as much as Lil does." Angie swung her feet a bit and then smiled at Wheatley. "Lil told me a story that Mom used to tell her all the time. Lil tells it to me whenever I am sick. Do you want to hear it, Mr. Wheatley?" Angie asked. Wheatley nodded and sat back.

_Once upon a time in a secret kingdom far away, a team of foolish scholars came upon a sleeping witch. A Wise Man who had followed them told the Scholars that the Witch was put to sleep because of her thirst for forbidden knowledge. Though they were warned not to disturb the sleeping witch, the scholars ignored the Wise Man's warnings and decided they had much to learn from her, so they had to awaken her. In order to awaken her, they had to find her magic crown and place it on her head. But when they did, she only awakened half-way, which made her very mad and she used what power she had to try and kill them with her scary magic. She fell asleep again when they took the crown off._

_According to the Wise Man, the crown was cursed and could be used by the scholars to control the Witch, but it was missing its four jewels that would complete it and make it whole again. Against the warnings of the Wise Man, the Foolish Scholars decided to find the four jewels. They had found many jewels and tried fitting each one on her crown, but none of them were the right jewels. Finally, after some convincing, the Wise Man told the Scholars that the four jewels needed were an orange one, a red one, dark blue one and a purple one. However, the Wise Man knew of the danger the Scholars would unleash, so he went into hiding before the Scholars could awaken the Witch._

_When the Witch was awakened with her powers returned, she killed the Scholars that awoke her and set out to take over the secret kingdom, which she did. She became the Evil Queen and in her thirst for forbidden knowledge, began to kill the people of the kingdom in the name of obtaining such knowledge. She put her subjects through horrible tests and wouldn't stop until she obtained what she wanted._

_One day, the Evil Queen awoke a brave warrior from her slumber and tried to make her go through the vigorous tests. The Warrior was smarter than the Evil Queen had planned and the Warrior set out to stop her. Trying to sway the Warrior from coming to destroy her, the Evil Queen offered the Warrior many prizes, even a feast of sweets. _

_The Warrior would not be swayed and led by the Wise Man's hidden messages, found her way to the Evil Queen and used her magic against her, destroying the jewels on the crown and turning the Evil Queen to stone. However, before she turned into stone completely, the Evil Queen cast one last curse on the kingdom and the Warrior, putting everyone into an eternal sleep._

_One hundred years later, the Warrior was awakened by a Silly Prince who promised to help her escape the remains of the Secret Kingdom. However, when the two tried to escape, they accidently freed the Evil Queen from her stone prison. Eager to enact her revenge on the Warrior, the Evil Queen used her powers to set up her evil tests for the Warrior and the Silly Prince. The Silly Prince and the Warrior were imprisoned apart and the Warrior had to fight her way past the Evil Queen's reawakened minions to pass the tests._

_During one of the tests, the Silly Prince rescued the Warrior and they escaped together within the walls of the castle. The Silly Prince came up with a plan to dethrone the Evil Queen, but in order to do so they had to get their hands on her crown. It took careful planning to get through her defenses, but the Warrior and the Silly Prince finally faced the Evil Queen and took her crown. Since the Silly Prince claimed he knew how to use the crown's power, it was decided that he would use the crown to set the Secret Kingdom right._

_The Silly Prince finally got his hands on the Evil Queen's crown and changed her into a talking potato as revenge for all the evil things she did. With the crown on and the Evil Queen now a potato, the Silly Prince was about to declare the Warrior free. However, the crown's vast power corrupted the Silly Prince and he accused the Warrior of being selfish and wanting the Secret Kingdom for herself. He then banished the Warrior and the Queen to the dungeon of the castle and went about changing everything._

_Though they didn't want to, the Warrior and the now Potato Queen had to work together to leave the horrible dungeon. The dungeon was full of treasures of the past that neither of them could comprehend. The Potato Queen said it was the remains of the old part of the castle. Upon the wall of one chamber the Warrior and the Potato Queen came upon a portrait of a beautiful princess that the Queen recognized as herself. _

_The Queen had begun to remember being the Princess and that the Old King had given her his magic powers when he died so she could protect the kingdom. But the magic became too much for the Princess to handle and she transformed into a witch. The Old King's advisors put a sleeping curse on her until they could figure out how to control her powers. The Potato Queen started to feel remorseful and promised the Warrior her freedom once they dethroned the Silly Prince. _

_When they finally emerged from the dungeon, they found the castle and the Secret Kingdom in a dreadful state of despair. As it turned out, the Silly Prince had no idea how to use the powers of the crown and was destroying everything while trying to control it. With the powers of the crown unchecked, the Potato Queen revealed that they didn't have much time before the Silly Prince would destroy the castle and the kingdom trying to control the forbidden knowledge he was absorbing._

_After solving his series of crudely made and simple tests, the Warrior and Potato Queen finally made their way toward the throne room._

_When the Warrior asked how they could stop him, the Potato Queen told the Warrior that there were three magic jewels that could subdue the Silly Prince and disrupt the crown's magical hold long enough to set things right. But they only had a tiny window of opportunity to do so. _

_A mighty battle ensued between the Warrior and the Silly Prince, whom she had come to love as her best friend. Knowing that the castle and the kingdom were doomed unless she subdued him in time, the Warrior worked fast. It was vigorous and challenging, but the magic jewels were put in place._

_With the three magic jewels on the crown, the Warrior was about to finish the Silly Prince off, but couldn't bring herself to do harm to her friend. So, instead of killing him, the Warrior destroyed the crown, causing a portal to another world to open up._

_The force of the opening started to suck in everything around them and the Silly Prince grabbed onto the Warrior's hands, begging her not to let go of him. With the spell broken, the Evil Queen returned to her previous state and banished the Silly Prince to the other world. _

_The Warrior shed a tear for her lost friend as she finally let go of him. The Silly Prince screamed loudly that he was sorry as he fell into the portal, but the opening had closed as the Evil Queen dragged the Warrior back into their world, ensuring the Silly Prince would never return._

_The crown restored by the Evil Queen, she gave thanks to the Warrior for restoring her back to the throne, but scolded her for all the trouble she had caused. The Queen decided the Warrior deserved a reward nonetheless and with a wave of her hand, she at last granted the Warrior her freedom from the Secret Kingdom._

Wheatley stared at Angie as she finished the story. "The End." said Angie, taking a deep breath. Wheatley was stunned. Angie hopped of the chair and smiled. "You look like you're feeling better already, Mr. Wheatley! I'll go see if Miss Pee-Bee has your soup ready. Get lots of sleep!"

As Angie left the room, Wheatley sat on the bed and hugged his knees. Wheatley may not have been the sharpest knife in the drawer, but he knew a metaphor when he heard it. At least, he did when he figured out what metaphors were.

"The Silly Prince…" Wheatley muttered, as he looked at the ceiling. He felt a bit sad that he had been reduced to a bedtime story for children, but it felt nice that Chell had remembered him and cared enough to make him a Prince in the story, even if he was a silly one. He sat back in his bed and decided to get some sleep again.

_Meanwhile…_

Downtown, ATLAS walked into the library and looked around. The weekends meant the crowds were smaller (assuming people had better things to do on the weekend) and walked into the computer room. ATLAS waited until the room was empty and went inside, locking the door behind him. ATLAS walked over to the windows and pulled the blinds. He then made sure everything was set up and took out a cable from his coat pocket. He lifted his hair in the back and plugged on end of the cable into the prong. He plugged the other end into a computer and watched as the power in the room blinked.

All of the computers started making weird noises until all of the monitors displayed the Aperture Science logo. Through the speakers, GLaDOS spoke. _"It's about time you got back into contact with me. Where is Orange?"_ asked GLaDOS. ATLAS chattered to the monitor in front of him. _"Bring her next time so we can have a proper reconnaissance meeting. Now, I will admit, you're gaining far more information than that idiot ever did. To be honest, I'm not sorry to be out of his brain. All those meaningless ideas were giving me a headache."_

ATLAS chattered something and GLaDOS went silent for a moment. _"Any information you get on Subject Lillian is appreciated, though I highly recommend you study her further. Tell Orange to keep closer tabs on her. The feed of her undressing was…informative, though not informative in the way I had wanted. You'd think being a vegetarian would benefit her. Oh well, I'll make due. Tell Orange to keep closer tabs on Subject Lil and see what you can find out about Subject Angie. I might need a Plan B…"_

The statement was met with confused chatter by ATLAS. _"You need not worry about what I just said. In fact…"_

_**LAST 5 SECONDS OF CO-OP ROBOT **_**[Blue] **_**MEMORY DELETED**_

"_There, all better. Now, what else have you got to report?"_ ATLAS chattered something else into the monitor and GLaDOS gasped. _"He's sick? Oh, that moron; I knew he'd somehow put himself in harm's way without me around to give him direction."_ Her angry grumbles worried ATLAS more than it probably should have. ATLAS chattered something else that seemed to lighten the mood. _"The idiot has been sleepwalking? How very interesting. I had a feeling that his anxiety would manifest in a harmful way. But you mentioned that it's always to the same place?"_

ATLAS nodded and after a series of beeps and chicks, ATLAS felt his head vibrate. _"Our meeting is about over. Next time, bring Orange. I have some scheming to do."_ Then the monitor went blank and the lights flickering back on. All of the monitors returned to normal. As ATLAS packed up his cord and put it in his pocket, he heard a loud knocking at the door, followed by some angry yelling.

_Back at the store…_

Lil had regretted telling P-Body to stay upstairs with Angie and Wheatley, because the store was busier than it had been. Most of the (female) customers clamored for Wheatley, while Lil tried to keep the mob down. Lil knew she wouldn't be able to leave for lunch, so she had to eat her sandwich as she was checking customers out. While Lil knew she could handle it on her own, part of her was secretly hoping P-Body would come down to bother her for whatever reason or that ATLAS would come back with the medicine he supposedly left to get.

In the apartment, P-Body sat on the couch and watched one of Angie's little cartoons. She looked confused by it. "Now, that pony right there is a little weird. Lil doesn't like her very much, which is why she doesn't let me watch this show very often." Angie explained as P-Body nodded.

When the commercials came on, P-Body seemed to take a special interest in one particular advertisement. Angie made a disgusted face at the two people kissing on the commercial. P-Body turned her head and touched her lips. They were cold. Angie watched as P-Body looked on in wonderment. "Miss Pee-Bee, does Mr. ATLAS ever kiss you?" she asked softly. P-Body didn't seem to understand. "Kissing is gross. There was this boy at my school who kissed me on the cheek during recess. The teachers didn't take well to it and punished him. When I got home, I told Lil and she just laughed when I told her I had cooties. She then told me cooties weren't real and that he was just showing me he liked me. But I didn't like him."

P-Body made a giggling motion and laughed a little mechanical laugh. "Lil used to kiss guys a lot. She said once that you kiss those you care for, which is why she kisses my forehead every night when I go to bed. And just between you and me, Miss Pee-Bee, I think she wants to kiss Mr. Wheatley!" Angie whispered with a giggle. "I bet she wants to be like a princess from one of my books. Being rescued by a handsome prince and then being kissed as they ride away."

Unsure of how to interpret the child's odd rambling, P-Body nodded and got up. Angie continued to watch her program as P-Body made her way to the kitchen pantry. This is where she and ATLAS had made themselves at home, even though it was small. The pantry was a good size with shelves for food on one side and an open space for whatever on the other. In this space is where the androids slept standing up. They didn't need much room since they didn't require much.

Kneeling down, P-Body made sure the pantry door was closed as she reached into the backpack she and ATLAS had brought with them. She slowly unzipped it and pulled out the blank corrupt core wrapped in its blanket. It no longer worked, as the Man they had met in the garden of cores pulled out something that kept it working. P-Body cooed at the little blank device as she unwrapped it and tapped its broken optic softly. She held it up to her face and kissed the broken optic softly. P-Body had hoped to get it working again, but without the component the Man in the garden had pulled it, it was beyond fixing. P-Body cooed softly, lovingly placing the core back in its blanket and into the backpack.

In his room, Wheatley looked like he was locked in a deep struggle within his dream. He grabbed at his sheets and gripped his pillow tightly. He was sweating profusely and moaning in discomfort. "Why…" he murmured softly, as he tossed and turned. Wheatley grimaced and his grip on his sheets tightened.

"…_and if you notice here…" said Wheatley, pointing to an image on the screen, "…I worked out the major problem with the program, so we should have no more problems with the test subjects. The program itself was pretty gritty and looked mostly like a guess work operation, no offense to the original developers. Not going to lie, we might still need to work out the kinks in the final demonstration, but all in all, the program should be working to full capacity and should actually save the company a ton of money as far as acquiring new test subjects go."_

_The entire Aperture Science committee was present, with Mr. Johnson sitting at the very end of the table in a wheelchair. The other interns were also present, but in a room off to the side, watching through a two-way mirror. While they looked on in pride, only one seemed to have a bone to pick with Wheatley. Smith folded his arms and leaned back in his chair. "He's a lot more confident than he usually is." said Darzi to Harvey. _

_Harvey nodded and sipped his coffee. "I guess my advice on picturing everyone in their underwear really worked." Harvey joked._

"_That would explain why he started screaming when Mr. Johnson was wheeled into the room." joked McIntyre through her coffee cup. Jacobson was oddly absent today. He hadn't shown up for work in the past few days. No one was sure where he was. Harvey had asked their instructor where Jacobson was, but he never received a straight answer. _

_The Instructor shushed the interns and kept a close watch on the meeting. "Pendleton is kicking ass and taking names out there." Harvey whispered, sipping his coffee again._

_The entire board stood (with the exception of Mr. Johnson) and applauded Wheatley. Wheatley straightened out his glasses and smiled. He looked like he had something on his mind, but he didn't talk to anyone about it. Caroline was the first to walk up to Wheatley and shake his hand. "If Mr. Johnson could, he'd congratulate you himself. He insisted on being here today, despite not really being able to move." Caroline had on her usual perky smile under her thin layer of make-up._

_Caroline waited until everyone was gone to go over a few things with Wheatley. "Mr. Pendleton, the board was pretty unanimous with the decision to hire you on as a full-time employee. They insisted you finish your internship, though. I hope that won't be a problem." asked Caroline, as she took a file from her clipboard._

"_Oh, no problem at all, it won't be a problem, Miss Caroline." Wheatley insisted, as he packed up his work bag. _

"_Well, everything is filled out and as soon as your internship is over, we'll have a desk ready for you. We just need you to fill out these forms giving us consent to use the program and also the form required stating that you finished your internship in full. We won't file that until your internship is actually finished, but the Board still wants to have it on file, just in case." Caroline smiled as she opened the file and watched Wheatley fill out some forms. _"_How is your girlfriend doing, by the way?" asked Caroline, as she took each form Wheatley finished signing. _

"_Much better, what with the new medication she's on. It's a bit pricey, but hopefully that shouldn't be an issue too much longer." Wheatley said, with a confident smile._

_Caroline took another form and placed it in the file. "The funniest thing; I ran into her the other day when she came to drop off our work bag when you left it at home." Wheatley looked up at Caroline and smiled. He remembered that day very well. He compared his embarrassment of the moment to the time his mother came to his school to drop of his lunch. Pam was always making sure Wheatley was prepared and often compared her to his mother (but a better cook)._

"_That's good. She doesn't leave the apartment much nowadays, but it's good to see her getting out, even if it is to remind me I'm a forgetful slob. Our anniversary is coming up and I have something huge planned for her. I know she'll love it. Pam has been leaving quite a few hints but I caught on pretty quick." Wheatley laughed, as he turned over another page of the forms he was filling out. _

"_Oh? Do you mind me asking what it is you have planned for her?" asked Caroline, as she watched Wheatley fill out another form._

_Wheatley laughed and sighed happily. "Not at all, Miss Caroline. Well, this Saturday, tomorrow, if you will, I am going to ask Pam to marry me." He said, as he happily filled out another form. _

_Caroline smiled wide. _"_Well, I'm just glad you're making an honest woman out of her. I'm a little more traditional than you might think, so I think it's a very noble thing you're doing, Mr. Pendleton." Caroline giggled, handing Wheatley another form to fill out. Wheatley paused for a moment and cocked an eyebrow at Caroline._

_Wheatley smiled and quick read the last form. "Oh, it's not that big of a deal, Miss Caroline. I've actually been planning this for a while. I cleaned out my savings to afford the ring and I know she's going to love it. I admit, her hints were getting a little stronger, but I think it's just because of our anniversary coming up. I just know we're going to be very happy together."_

"_That's wonderful. I assumed her telling you she was pregnant would knock your entire world out of whack. But the fact that you're marrying her and starting a family off right is still a very noble gesture." Caroline smiled as Wheatley stopped midway through signing his name on the last form. Caroline helped him finish his signature and took the form away. "Well, it's good to see you're both excited about it. I can't wait to hear more. I'll process these forms right away, Mr. Pendleton. Give Pam my best!" shouted Caroline, as she left the room._

_Caroline's high heels clicking on the marble floors were the only thing Wheatley could hear. He squeezed the pen he was still holding until the ink popped out. _

_This explained everything: her odd behavior, the sudden weight gain, her "hints" becoming more aggressive, and why she was talking about getting off her medication the night before (because more than likely she had probably stopped taking it weeks ago). Wheatley didn't know how to feel. The only thing going through his body was panicked rage._

"_Pam…is pregnant…?"_

Wheatley woke up in a cold sweat. He reached for his glasses and got up in a jolt. He didn't know why, but he felt the need to get up and leave the apartment. He ran out of his room, past P-Body and Angie making soup and out of the apartment doorway.

The crowd at the bookstore had calmed down to the point where Lil could see through the front windows of the store. She heard people gasping and pointing outside. Lil got up from her stool to investigate and to her horror, saw Wheatley running down the road in nothing but a t-shirt and boxers. "Oh my…" Lil's right eye started twitching. Lil shooed the last few customers out and closed the store. She yanked her jacket on and started following her half-naked friend.

As Lil got into her Jeep, May ran up to the passenger side window. "Hey Lil, was that Wheatley just now running around in his underclothes, yelling like a raving maniac?" May shouted, as Lil started up the car.

"Yes, it was" Lil shouted, as the jeep sped down the road.

Of all days to be chasing a half-naked British man down the road, Lil hated that it was this day. Of course, she never thought she'd ever be chasing a half-naked British man down the road until she met Wheatley. Lil was surprised that Wheatley was as agile as he was, considering every time he tried to run anywhere, he tripped over himself. As Lil rounded another corner, she could tell she was getting closer.

Lil parked her Jeep near the park and got out. It didn't take for her long to catch up to Wheatley, as all she had to do was follow the trail of shocked and laughing people pointing in one direction. She ran into the park and followed the shocked expressions. "Wheatley!" she shouted in each direction of the park. The park this time of year was almost empty, especially seeing as it was late afternoon by this time. The sun was setting early (Wheatley had trouble adjusting to daylight savings time) and Lil knew she had to find Wheatley before it got colder.

"Wheatley!" she shouted, pulling her jacket closer to her person. Lil came to a fork in the park path with a sign telling her which way led where. Something told her to go down the path toward the lake, which she did. Every time she and Wheatley took Angie to the park, Wheatley had to go sit by the pond. He wasn't sure why, but he just felt a need to be by the pond. The air got colder as she got closer to the pond. "Wheatley!" she shouted, as she rounded the last corner toward the pond.

Sure enough, there stood Wheatley, as if in a trance, not even recognizing how cold the air was and how wet the ground was under his bare feet. "Wheatley! There you are! Do you have any idea how embarrassing this is?" Lil ran up to him, getting ready to yell at him. She stopped herself when she noticed he was just staring at the pond. "Wheatley?" Lil waved her hand in front of Wheatley's face, but got no response. He seemed to be muttering something. Lil listened carefully and noted it was the lyrics to "Moon River".

"Oh great, he's finally gone insane." She muttered, as she shook him. "Wheatley, snap out of it!" Lil shouted, shaking Wheatley's arm.

Wheatley blinked a few times and looked around. "What the…Miss Lil, why are we at the park?" he asked, looking at Lil's worried expression. It was at that moment he realized how cold he was. "And why am I in nothing but my underwear?" he shouted, as Lil took off her coat.

Lil's coat was too small for Wheatley, but she knew it would keep him until they got him to the Jeep. "Wheatley, what has gotten into you? The entire shopping district saw you run out of the apartment like a raving lunatic in nothing but your underpants!"

Wheatley just stared at Lil, looking at his shivering hands. "Miss Lil…I don't feel too well…" he coughed, holding his stomach.

"Let's get you home, Wheaters." Lil cooed, as she helped Wheatley down the path.

The evening set in slowly. The entire apartment smelled of the most delicious vegetable soup anyone had ever tasted. Wheatley was back, safely in his room and (thanks to the cold medicine ATLAS had finally arrived home with) sound asleep. Lil and P-Body worked together to make the soup and Angie was actually eating it. "What happened to Mr. Wheatley?" Angie asked, as Lil sat beside her on the couch. Lil handled her hot bowl carefully and sighed.

"I wish I knew, Kiddo." Lil lamented, as she blew onto her soup. "Something is troubling him, and being sick isn't making it better. I don't know what else to do for him except keep him in bed and wait for his fever to break. I am just glad I close the store on Sundays, so now I can keep an eye on him tomorrow."

Lil stirred her soup around in the bowl and sighed. "His body is human, but I think sometimes he still has the mentality of a robot. I have no idea what he used to be like, but I think his mind is having trouble comprehending how to handle being sick. That's what I want to believe, anyway." Lil looked out the balcony window and watched the low set clouds. "Weather man says we're due for snow soon. Hopefully, he'll be better in time to enjoy it with us."

Angie nodded hopefully and sipped her soup as Lil turned on the television. Lil felt her heart fluttering with worry as she thought about how helpless Wheatley probably felt at that moment. Lil wished she could do more, but knew all she could do was wait. She hated that.

When she finished her bowl of soup, Lil excused herself to check on Wheatley. She didn't bother knocking on his door, because she knew he was asleep. She slowly opened the door and shut it softly. The faint light of an almost burnt out nightlight was her only guide to Wheatley's bedside.

"Wheatley…" Lil chirped softly as she sat on the floor by Wheatley's bedside. "I know you can't hear me, but I want you to know…" Lil felt tears forming in her eyes. "If anything happened to you, I don't think I'd be able to handle it…"

Lil knelt down by Wheatley's bedside and stroked his hair as he grimaced. Lil guessed he was dreaming again. Lil kissed his forehead and stroked his hand softly as she laid her head next to his while still sitting on the floor beside the bed. "I don't know what's troubling you, but I know if you knew, you'd tell me. But I want you to know…I'm here for you, if you ever need me. Because until you came into my life, I didn't know I needed you."

Lil stayed with Wheatley until she fell asleep where she sat. Wheatley grimaced a bit, and tightened his grip on Lil's hand.

"_Why didn't you tell me you were pregnant?" Wheatley shouted with his fists balled up. Pam just stared at him, unsure of how to answer. They had been arguing since Wheatley got home. _Wheatley had left work almost immediately after the meeting, ignoring Harvey's insisting on going out to celebrate.__

"_What was I supposed to say? Every time I tried to tell you, you kept interrupting me with something about your job." Pam shouted back, turning away from Wheatley. _

"_It would have been nice, love, to find out from you and not from gossip and…" Wheatley was so mad, he couldn't think straight. He paced the living room, stomping his feet, pulling at his hair, and fighting back the urge to break something. There were no words in the English language that could accurately state how mad he was. _

_Wheatley stomped his feet as he paced. He hadn't taken off his work clothes yet. The moment he walked into the apartment, he and Pam started fighting. "How could keep something this serious from me? Do you have any idea…obviously not, or else you would have told me sooner. No, let's leave Wheatley out of the equation, even though he's about one half of it!"_

_Pam wiped her tears and followed Wheatley. "Wheatley, please…I know it seems bad but if we just talk about this calmly…" Pam reached for Wheatley, but he pulled away. _

"_TALK ABOUT THIS? You wouldn't even tell me in the first place, I had to find out about this from one of my bloody coworkers!" Wheatley took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. "Do you have any idea how this will affect everything I've worked so hard for? Honestly, do you?"_

_Pam just looked at him. "What do you mean 'affect everything you've worked for'? How can you be so selfish?"_

"_I'M BEING SELFISH?! Oh, that's rich, Pam. Very rich. Let's talk about me being selfish when you've been keeping this from me for…how long? Oh, it doesn't matter, does it? Tell everyone else except the person it should affect the most. Yeah, I'm the selfish one!" Wheatley put his glasses back on. "I work all bloody day at that Aperture dump for HER and she calls ME selfish…" _

_Wheatley was so mad he couldn't even concentrate on his own angry grumbling. He grabbed his jacket and started for the door. "Where are you going at this hour?" shouted Pam._

"_Out!" Wheatley shouted as he grabbed his car keys. _

"_You can't go out! We're not done talking about this!" Pam's eyes formed tears as Wheatley gripped his car keys tightly. _

_Wheatley glared back at Pam, trying to find the words. "Oh, I think we are, love, I really think we are. In fact, I'm going to leave now before I say something I can't take back!"_

_With that, Wheatley slammed the apartment door, ignoring the sounds of Pam crying as he left the apartment complex._

As much as he tried, Wheatley couldn't get himself to wake up fully. He felt something warm against his face and only woke up slightly to see Lil's forehead touching his. Wheatley smiled, rightly assuming she came in the check on him and fell asleep. He staggered himself awake and got up. Summoning all of his strength, Wheatley picked up Lil and helped her to her room. When he returned to his own room, Wheatley rubbed his head and sat on the edge of his bed.

Wheatley stayed awake as long as he could before he finally dozed off again. As he dozed off slowly, he could have sworn he heard the same voice that had been haunting him. A voice that sounded like it yearned for him to follow. Wheatley was too sick and exhausted to heed it at this point and tried to sleep through it. He had to get better. When he was better, he decided, he'd investigate the voice a little more. But right now, all he wanted to do was sleep. At this point, he was sure the voice was just feverish hallucinations. He was too sick to put much thought into it. He just needed to focus on getting better.

"_Wheatley…come home, Wheatley…"_

* * *

><p><strong>N'cha, everyone!<strong>

**So, what did you think? I had a nice little groove going on with this one, so I knew I could get it out sooner than usual. I noticed I hadn't given Wheatley a flashback in a few chapters, so I decided to give you guys a plethora of flashbacks to help move the story along. I hope the story isn't getting too intense for anyone. I want everyone to have a good time, now so just let me know if anything goes too slow or too fast.**

**So, I got some good news and some bad news.**

**Good news first: Reconstructing Humanity is going pretty strong and I got some nice goodies planned for the next few chapters that I know everyone will love, love, love!**

**Bad news is this: My other fic, a Fable fic known as "Reaver's Servants" will be ending soon due to lack of inspiration. I haven't worked on it in a long time but I didn't want to just abandon it. When I started it, I promised myself I'd see it through to the end, and I will. I'm scrapping a lot of ideas I had for it but I promised myself I'd give it a proper ending and if it was well received enough, I'd give it a sequel, but the fact of the matter is this: I can't continue a story I don't have passion for. When I began it, I had enough passion for it to fill a bath tub. It was insane how much time I put into it. But as time went on, I found it hard to come up with new ideas for a place like Albion. I felt drained and like I was forcing out new stories just to get it out and that's not fair to the readers. So, in the next few weeks, I'll be coming up with a few more chapters for "Reaver's Servants" before I give it a proper send off. It breaks my heart, because it was my first fic submitted here on but I will be very happy once I give it the proper ending it deserves.**

**When I write, I put my hair up. Something tells me my hair will be in a constant ponytail in the upcoming weeks, so stay tuned!**

**As I stated before, the stories are going to start getting a little more serious, so consider this your warning. The following will start occurring soon: sap, violence, fluff, romance, and some weird twists I have yet to work out in my head yet.**

**As always, I am very happy and I appreciate all reviews and criticism you guys have. I respect everyone's views so please don't hesitate to let me know how I did in a review. Your reviews keep the story going strong so please let me know how I did. I am grateful for all the favs and alerts as well. **

**You guys rock, seriously.**

**GLaDOS, Wheatley, ATLAS and P-Body belong to Valve.**


	19. The Ghost of Wheatley Pendleton

_Reconstructing Humanity_

The Ghost of Wheatley Pendleton

_Click clack click clack_

_The sounds of designer high heels clicking on the floor echoed throughout the hallway. Aperture Science was running like a well-oiled machine thanks to the lovely Caroline (Mr. Johnson's faithful assistant). Despite recent budget cuts, Caroline was very well paid. Mr. Johnson made sure of that. Of all the things being slashed and cut, Caroline's pay was at the very bottom of the list. Caroline was a modest and traditional person, so the high heels were something of a treat. What made it even more special was that she didn't even pay for them. They were a gift from Mr. Johnson and they had served her well. Just as she served him well._

_Mr. Johnson, unless properly medicated, was usually in a wheelchair or strapped to a hospital bed. As a result, Caroline was pretty much running things. She pretty much already did in the first place. Her trusty clipboard in hand and a smile on her face, Caroline walked the halls of Aperture Science with a skip in her step. Mr. Johnson may have been a vegetable at that point, but there was still work to be done. Science to do._

_Caroline stopped by each department on her way to her office and grinned happily. Everything was running like clockwork, which was something she hadn't seen in years. Caroline didn't want to admit it, but with Mr. Johnson being sick and unable to perform his duties properly, things were actually getting accomplished._

"_Miss Caroline, those accident reports are sitting on your desk waiting for your signature." said one of the office girls as she reached into a file cabinet. _

_"How many are from Mr. Pendleton?" Caroline giggled as she reached for her doorknob. _

_"Only three this time!" said the girl happily as she walked away. _

_"Making progress! I should have a cake sent down to the intern's break room." Caroline smiled started opening her office door but was suddenly stopped by a tap on the shoulder. Caroline turned around and saw a man in a suit with a mournful look on his face. _

_"Miss…Caroline?" the man asked._

"_Yes, I'm Caroline." Caroline answered, holding her clipboard closely. _

_"I hate to bother you like this, Miss Caroline, but I'm from the legal department and Mr. Johnson has finally decided to make out a will. We need someone there as a witness and he refuses to let anyone except you oversee his will. He won't even let me write the will and I'm his lawyer." The man laughed softly._

_Caroline sighed softly and followed the man. "Of course…I'd be…happy to…" the unsure tone of Caroline's voice seemed to go over the man's head as she followed him down the hallway. _

GLaDOS's optic opened wide as she forced herself from sleep mode. One thing she loved about being a computer was that pesky things such as "emotions" and "memories" could easily be dealt with after a few console commands and the stroke of a key.

**CAROLINE DELETED**

"That's better." GLaDOS said as if a heavy weight had been lifted from her imaginary shoulders. The relief was only temporary. She wasn't sure why, but the Caroline Program seemed to have a nasty habit of reemerging every so often and it was starting to get annoying. GLaDOS had a monitor come down from the ceiling. She gave the Androids specific instructions to keep an eye on Lil. She wouldn't explain why, but lately GLaDOS had begun to sound more eager and impatient.

"Soon…" she muttered happily as she had P-Body's optical camera zoom in on the back of Lil's head.

**_In the City_**

"Are you sure you want to do this, Wheaters?" asked Lil as she parked the Jeep outside of the chain link fence. Wheatley was silent for a moment. He unbuckled his seat belt and started to open his door. Did he really want to do this? Not really, but it had to be done.

Wheatley's visions as of late had become more aggressive and Wheatley was sure they were trying to tell him something. Many nights he had woken up in a cold sweat from a dream he had or scream for no reason during the middle of a shift at the bookstore.

At first, he ignored them. It was simple enough, really. Wheatley would just suppress them and keep them to himself. "As long as it doesn't disrupt work," he said to himself. "Miss Lil won't get upset." Everything he did lately he put a lot of emphasis on what Lil thought; which is why he didn't tell her about the lady in his dreams. He had been keeping his real trouble to himself. He didn't want to bother Lil with his problems. Wheatley didn't think it'd be appropriate to tell Lil about who he thought was a former girlfriend and why he was having visions of her in his dreams. He didn't want Lil to get jealous.

_Wait…why would Miss Lil get jealous?_ He thought. She was only a friend. His boss, his landlord. Lil had told him she cared for him deeply and now couldn't imagine life around the apartment without him or those Androids, but it wasn't like she loved him, right?

Right?

Of course, whenever he talked about his time with her mother, Lil seemed to get a look about her like she didn't want to hear it. Maybe because it involved her mother, but he felt it was more than that. Either way, he decided to not talk about this "Pam" person around Lil. But then the visions became more aggressive and Wheatley started hearing the voice at night. He'd wake up screaming from a horrible nightmare of his past life and it'd wake up the entire apartment, including the Androids. Lil decided to make it her problem for fear Wheatley might try to do something drastic to end the nightmares.

Wheatley clicked the button to his seatbelt and sighed. "No, Miss Lil. I don't want to do this. I don't want to go on the other side of that fence because, honestly, who knows what is over there? There could be wild animals and some such there scavenging about. We could all get seriously injured or catch something and no, I don't want to do this. But I have to." Wheatley's unusually stoic attitude was starting to scare Lil.

In little less than a month, Lil had watched Wheatley go from his happy-go-lucky, hopelessly lovable self to the adult equivalent of a mopey teenager. She didn't like it. It wasn't Wheatley. Usually happy and curious, Wheatley looked like he barely wanted to get up in the mornings. At first, Lil saw it as a true reemergence into humanity. She honestly couldn't see how anyone could be happy to get up in the morning. But now she was starting to see it as something being wrong. Dour and depressed wasn't Wheatley. At least, not the Wheatley she cared for.

Lil helped Angie out of the back seat and walked over to the fence as ATLAS ripped it apart with his strength. P-Body clapped happily and followed ATLAS inside the area. Wheatley watched as Lil and Angie went in next and hesitated a bit. "You coming Wheaters?" asked Lil, looking behind herself. Wheatley took a deep breath and nodded. Fists balled up and a look of determination, Wheatley step forward. He slowly walked to Lil and looked around at the decaying buildings.

"When I was a kid, we'd pass by this place to and from school." said Lil, as they started walking down the broken road. "We were told the old part of the city was left standing as a memorial to everyone lost in the Combine Invasion. It's been fenced off for years, but I assume people sneak in here from time to time. Not much here but old buildings and such."

Lil looked over and saw Wheatley go ahead of her. Like he knew where he was going, Wheatley looked around in awe. Everything felt familiar, from the street signs to the boarded up buildings. The feeling of nostalgia swept over Wheatley like a powerful wave hitting the shore and he wasn't sure how to feel about it. Wheatley led the little pack of amateur archeologists down the road a little ways. He blinked a few times and saw what he imagined were ghosts.

Phantoms of a time long ago, passing by as if they were still alive; people were passing on the sidewalk or in cars, making Wheatley jump around trying to avoid people that weren't there. He could hear car horns blaring and the random conversations of people walking in groups. He could hear children running past him as they made their way to school and even saw some people waiting for the bus. As soon as Wheatley shook his head, the images were gone.

"Hey, Wheaters, what exactly are we looking for?" asked Lil as Angie and P-Body ran ahead.

Wheatley looked like even he wasn't sure. He looked a little mixed up but soon regained himself. "Cobblestone Drive." He blurted out, without knowing why. He had seen the fallen street sign last time he had passed by the chained off part of the city but he had forgotten where it was. "Just…look for anything indicating where there might have been a place called Cobblestone Drive."

Deciding it might have been best if they split up, Lil divided everyone into two groups. She and Wheatley would take one part of the old city while the Androids and Angie would take another. After sternly warning the Androids to keep an eye on Angie (or else), the two teams split off.

The wind blew softly as the dark cloudy day made itself known. Lil pulled her jacket closer as she and Wheatley started walking down the broken road. Most of the buildings were now crumbling piles of rubble.

Lil started to explain that the Combine Invasion destroyed many cities and drove humanity underground, forming resistances and fighting with anything they could find. "It's the first thing you learn about in history class in school. It was a horrible time and half the world's population was lost. But humans are resilient. We persevere, we rebuild, and we keep going." Lil said softly as she walked with Wheatley.

Wheatley never asked Lil if she believed in any religion. Religion was something he didn't quite understand himself, so he didn't bother to ask Lil about it. Looking around, everything felt familiar to him. He and Lil continued down a road, looking around at the decay and rubble. The visions of people passing by gave Wheatley a strange tickle in his stomach.

Walking up to what looked like the remains of an outdoor café, Wheatley put his hand on a broken table that was covered in dust. He ignored Lil as she broke into the building to have a look around. Wheatley wiped a bit of the dust off the table and stared at his hand.

"_This place makes the best roast beef sandwiches. I could eat them all day!" said Pam, as she happily bit into her sandwich. The bright summer day was exceptionally hot and eating outside under an umbrella seemed like a better idea in their heads. Wheatley bit into his sandwich as he watched some neighborhood children run by waving at the passing ice cream vender. _

_The café seemed pretty busy today and Wheatley and Pam were lucky to get a seat with an umbrella. "The food is good but their fountain drinks taste like mop water." mumbled Wheatley as he bit into his sandwich._

_Pam laughed softly and put her sandwich down. "Well, you said I could choose where we ate today before we go into the city, and I like the food here. At least their lemonade is made fresh, right?" Pam smiled as Wheatley bit into his sandwich again. Wheatley shrugged and happily ate his sandwich as he watched the children run by again holding their ice cream cones._

Wheatley snapped out of his vision and looked around for Lil. He saw her emerge from the building and brush dust off of herself. "I wanted to see if maybe there was an old map or something in there." She mumbled as she walked back up to Wheatley.

"We used to eat here a lot…" he mumbled back.

"We?" asked Lil.

Nodding and placing his hand on the counter of the outside café. "Before we'd go into the city, we'd stop here and have lunch. It was a dinky little place. The food was greasy and the drinks tasted like they had been sitting outside for a few hours, but it was good and pretty reasonably priced. A great place to be on a hot day. Their lemonade was delicious, though…"

Lil watched as Wheatley placed his fingers on the cold metal of the closed window shielding. Wheatley made a crinkled smile as if he was trying to hold back happy tears. "Let's keep moving, Miss Lil…" he whispered, as he stepped over a pile of debris.

Lil blinked a few times. "Who's 'we'?" she asked, though not loud enough for Wheatley to hear. She tried not to sound jealous, as she wasn't really sure what or whom he was talking about. She just kept walking.

A little ways away, ATLAS and P-Body dug through a pile of junk as Angie climbed a mountain of debris. P-Body had found a sack and was placing scraps inside of it for whatever project she had planned next. Angie made it to the top of the debris mountain and looked around. Angie looked down at the street below and saw what looked like a lady walking. It didn't look like Lil, but Angie was sure it was a lady. She slid down the debris mountain and ran up to the Androids.

"You guys, I saw a lady!" she shouted excitedly. ATLAS and P-Body looked at each other and then back to Angie. "No, it wasn't Lil! Maybe she can help us find what Mr. Wheatley is looking for!" Angie shouted, as she pulled P-Body's arms. Fearing the child would literally yank off her arms, P-Body followed the excited child, with ATLAS carrying the sack of junk behind them.

"_Don't let the small one out of your sight. She's just as important as her sister. Not as important, but she could be useful."_ said GLaDOS, through ATLAS's communicator. ATLAS nodded and carried the sack with ease. GLaDOS rarely spoke to him or P-Body lately unless it involved Lil or Wheatley. Mostly Lil, though. _"Find out what she is going on about. It might make this entire asinine adventure the idiot is on worth it. She could answer some questions. Like why are you all digging around in trash for that idiot?"_

Angie ran ahead, her little feet pitter-pattering on the cracked pavement. She knew she saw the lady turn a corner, but when Angie herself turned the corner, the lady was gone. P-Body finally caught up and looked down at Angie, who shook her head. "Where did she go?" Angie murmured. P-Body shrugged and directed Angie in a different direction.

Wheatley stopped in front of a boarded up building and smiled softly. The barely legible sign indicated this was once a bar of some kind. Wheatley laughed softly to himself and kicked in the door. He stepped inside and looked around. "Only slightly dirtier than I…I think I remember…" he muttered as he stepped over a broken table. He blinked once and saw a crowded bar full of drunken patrons laughing and carrying on. The ghosts danced and sang as Wheatley approached the bar counter, as if he had done so millions of times.

_The bar was quiet, which was unusual for a Friday night. Wheatley downed his third beer and raised his hand to call over the bartender. "Another, please…" Wheatley hiccupped as he took out his wallet. The bartender nodded and placed another beer in front of Wheatley. Wheatley paid the bartender and slowly sipped. Wheatley hated American beer, but with everything on his mind, he didn't really care. He had been to this bar before a few times, but not enough to be considered a regular. Harvey had told him he frequented this place and it was a nice little "Hole in the Wall" joint that had live bands every Friday night. Wheatley looked over at the stage and saw a group of teenagers setting up the stage._

_He grumbled as he took a quick swig from his bottle. "To be that carefree about everything; must be wonderful…" Wheatley played with his coaster and sighed. Wheatley's day had gone from good to bad in a little less than two hours. The morning started out pretty good, getting a call from his mother and giving Pam an extra-long good luck kiss. The drive to work was pretty nice; no traffic considering it was Friday. He had spent most of his day preparing the meeting room for the most important meeting of his life and even though it was a huge success, Wheatley got the shock of his young life that just somehow passed as pleasant conversation to a woman who had no idea how shocked he actually was. In his heart, he knew Caroline didn't know about his lack of knowledge of Pam's pregnancy so he couldn't blame her. But how could Pam keep something like this from him?_

_Wheatley reached into his pocket as his cell phone vibrated violently. He pulled it out and looked at it._

_**Call From: Pam**_

_**Accept or Ignore?**_

_With a scowl, Wheatley pressed ignore. He figured if it was important, she'd leave a message. "Or maybe she'll tell everyone else first…" he grumbled as he took another swig. She had been calling constantly for the last few hours and Wheatley's phone was on its last bar of life. He stuck his cell phone back in his pocket and waited for the battery to die._

_Wheatley looked up as the "Usual Crowd", as the bartender called it, walked in. Among them was Harvey, who Wheatley barely recognized without a lab coat on. "Pendleton! I've been trying to call your apartment for hours! What happened after work?" asked Harvey, as he sat next to Wheatley at the bar. "You walked right past me after the presentation. You looked so angry I thought you were going to yank the door off its hinges."_

_Sighing loudly, Wheatley took another swig and looked at his friend. "Harvey, would you say I've been good to Pam?" Wheatley asked with a hiccup. Harvey didn't seem to know where Wheatley was going with this. "Didn't I do everything in my power to make sure she was happy? I mean, for crying out loud, it took me weeks to find us a decent apartment so she'd move in with me. I let her throw out all my stuff from my old place, which, granted, was mostly trash. I even let her pick out the bloody towels we have in that place. I cannot tell you how much I really HATE the seashell towels we have in our bathroom. But they make her happy…"_

"_Pendleton, where are you going with this?" asked Harvey, as the bartender brought him a beer. Harvey paid for his beer and thanked the bartender. _

_"Pam…is pregnant!" Wheatley shouted, as he finished his beer. Harvey just stared at Wheatley, not sure what to say. Wheatley bought another beer and sighed. _

_Harvey's face turned pale for a moment. After about a minute, he started smiling and happily slapped Wheatley on his shoulder. "Hey, hey, congrats, man! I didn't think you had it in ya!" Harvey laughed, as Wheatley took out his wallet to pay for his beer. "No, no, Pendleton, this is a celebration and I promised the drinks were on me. Now we have even more to celebrate!" Harvey paid for Wheatley's beer with a smile._

_Wheatley tried to force a smile. "I can't be happy about it, Harvey…it is quite a speed bump…" Wheatley muttered. _

_Harvey smiled and patted Wheatley on the shoulder again. "Well, it is a lot to take in at once. I mean, considering all the excitement of today. Don't look at it as a speed bump; look at it as something to strive harder for. Kids are an investment: you only get back as much as you put in sometimes. If you put in a lot, the return is better. And if there is anyone in this world who would be a good dad, it's you, Pendleton. You're loads of fun. Remember that field trip class that came in that one time? You're great with kids."_

"_That's only because they thought I was a giant and asked me if I kept a princess in my tower." Wheatley said as he took another swig. "...when they weren't breaking things and trying to climb up me."  
><em>

_"And you replied, 'Yes, I do. But I assure you she's there on her own free will and I hope to make her my Queen someday.' I could never think up something like that." Harvey laughed._

_Wheatley chuckled a bit and looked at his beer. "What gets me the most about all of this is that she didn't even tell me. I figured since I was about half of the equation I should know about it, you know? But I found out when Miss Caroline told me while I was filling out some forms. They shared a pleasant conversation a few weeks ago when Pam brought my bag to work after I forgot it at home. I didn't think Pam and Miss Caroline were that friendly to each other. A passing hello, maybe, but sharing something that intimate?"_

_Harvey smiled and took another swig. "You know Miss Caroline; she's so charismatic, she'd strike up a conversation with the janitor in Spanish, even if the janitor is American. For a woman who's pretty much running that dump and constantly buried under paperwork, she's always so happy and perky."_

_The band started playing as Harvey asked for another beer. Wheatley's brain was begging him to tell the band they were terrible, but Wheatley decided a long time ago never to listen to himself when he was drunk, especially in a bar filled with punk rock loving young adults. "Pam is the same way. She could be sick as a dog and she'd still ask how the weather is outside. That's what I love about her. She's so upbeat, despite everything that's going on with her. But she told everyone else before she told me. The doctors warned her that having children could be risky, even with her illness in remission. It broke my heart, but I told her I'd give up anything to see her happy and healthy. My parents weren't too thrilled about it, though. I had to hear it from my mum for hours."_

_Wheatley sighed and took another swig from his bottle of beer. "Oh man alive! Sitting there for an hour listening to 'Of all the things you could give me, I was hoping one day it'd be grandchildren! Certainly would be better than those ever so rare phone calls I get on holidays!' Oh man..." _

_Wheatley laughed as he took another swig. "And then another forty-five minutes of 'Don't listen to those American doctors; they don't know what they're talking about! You just bring Pam over here and we'll go get some advice from a REAL doctor.' Oh boy…all I could say was 'Mum, I love you, but I'm not about to haul Pam all the way to England for something we both already know.' And then she yelled at me until Dad took the phone away."_

_Harvey laughed as the band in the background played their music. "My mom is the same way. 'Have you met anyone yet? You'd think after moving out you'd have a better chance at getting women.' and it goes on until I fake a bad connection." Wheatley laughed at Harvey's anecdote but still had a lot on his mind. _

_"Faking a bad connection? Haven't tried that one yet, Mate." Wheatley laughed as the two men clinked the tips of their beer bottles together._

_After a little laughter, Wheatley sighed and took a long swig. "But Pam…she didn't even tell me…her boyfriend, who supported her, paid for her medication, and stood by her as they injected her with who knows what at all those doctors meetings. We were even going through the process to get me naturalized here. We were building our life together, so it only seemed appropriate that I…" Wheatley took the ring box out of his pocket and sighed. "…that I want to make it final." Wheatley softly placed the ring box on the bar and sighed._

_In his mind, Wheatley promised this would be his last beer. He made the same promise when he ordered one more. "Think about how she feels, Pendleton." Harvey mused as he reached for another beer. "I'm not saying not telling you was the right route to go. I think I'd be running up and down the street screaming if it were me. But think about it: all her life, she's been told to be careful. You said it yourself; she was pretty sheltered before you two moved in together. Pam had been warned and hounded over all her life. She probably had no idea how to handle it herself. Maybe she was trying to find the right words…"_

_Harvey was wiser than he looked, and Wheatley knew that. "I know…I've had time to think it over me-self. I love that woman and I can't imagine what she's going through right now. She probably thought it would be easier to tell her girlfriends first. It would explain why the last time they came over they were giggling at me."_

_Wheatley took a slow swig and hiccuped a bit. "Before this whole fiasco, could you see yourself having kids with her? I mean, you obviously saw yourself marrying her…" asked Harvey. Wheatley straightened his glasses and smiled wide. _

_"Yeah, I could. Marrying Pam is probably the smartest thing I could ever do. That was the plan: marry Pam, save up for a home, have a few little Wheatley's running around…" Wheatley laughed._

"_I fear for humanity." Harvey joked as he downed the rest of his beer. Wheatley laughed and sighed softly. _

_"The doctor said right now, children were out of the question. But if she got better, then children were definitely in the future. You know what she told me the other day?" Wheatley asked. Harvey shrugged. "She thought the name 'Lillian' would be a good name for a little girl. I had no idea what she was getting at…now I do."_

_Wheatley chuckled a bit. "I wonder how far along she is. She only recently started putting on more weight…oh, but she's gorgeous no matter what she weighs. I love that woman. She's so good to me. I'm not good enough for a woman like Pam. How in the hell I even got her to date a sad sack of crap like me is amazing; let alone move in with me. How the hell am I going to get her to marry me? Especially after all those horrible things I said to her?" Wheatley's realization made him even more depressed. "Oh, man alive! I can't believe I yelled at her! I was only thinking about myself, I didn't even consider how scared she must be."_

_Getting up from his stool, Wheatley teetered around for a bit. "Tomorrow…" Wheatley was obviously drunk. "Tomorrow is our…anniversary! I have to…oh man…" Wheatley was pretty good about holding in his beer, but he was a typical drunk regardless. "I have to…drive…home and…"_

"_No way, Pendleton; you are WAY too drunk to drive anywhere. Come on, you can give her a call and sleep it off at my place." said Harvey, as he paid for the beers and helped Wheatley out of the bar. "You know, the couch misses you from the last argument you and Pam had. Remember?"_

_Wheatley laughed loudly as Harvey helped him out. In their time as friends, Harvey had discovered that Wheatley was a pretty funny drunk. "Still can't believe I slept on your couch for a week! She told me she'd never forgive me for being drunk on her birthday…but she did!" Wheatley's drunken laughter echoed throughout the bar and the parking lot out front. _

_"Yeah, it definitely had nothing to do with me calling Pam and begging her to forgive you so you'd get off my couch and stop sulking around my apartment like a heartbroken teenager." laughed Harvey as he helped Wheatley out of the bar. _

_Wheatley chuckled drunkenly as Harvey helped him into his car. "I must make...an announcement to my people!" Wheatley shouted drunkenly as Harvey placed him in the passenger side seat of his car. "Squire! Announce to the kingdom...that there will be...a wedding on the marrow..." Wheatley hit his hand on the roof of the car as he shouted his proclamation. Harvey seat-belted Wheatley in, despite his constant movements. Harvey closed the door and walked over to the driver's side. Harvey could hold his beer better than Wheatley. "Did you...hear me, peasant?" Wheatley shouted, nudging Harvey with his index finger._

_Harvey chuckled as he started up the car. "Yes, your majesty..." he laughed as Wheatley played with the automatic window buttons. "I am so telling the others about this." Harvey laughed as they pulled out of the parking lot._

Lil walked over to Wheatley, who had perched himself on the only bar stool that wasn't broken. Lil was quite disturbed by the smile Wheatley had on his face. "Wheaters, are you alright?" Lil asked as she looked around the bar. Wheatley nodded and stood up.

"I think…me and my coworkers used to come here. After we'd get done with our work at the labs, we'd come here for a few drinks. Oh man alive, she'd be so mad at me whenever I came home drunk. I stopped coming here as often after we moved in together."

Wheatley got up and walked over to the juke box. It obviously didn't work anymore, but he still felt compelled to try out the buttons. Lil didn't know what Wheatley was talking about, but still felt a little spark in her chest when he continued to talk. "I got her to come here once. She ate peanuts until she forced me to take her home." Wheatley laughed as he walked toward the door.

Angie popped her head out of a dumpster as P-Body chattered loudly. ATLAS popped his head out as well and saw P-Body waving at them. ATLAS helped Angie out of the dumpster they were digging in and ran toward P-Body. "What did you find, Miss Pee-Bee?" asked Angie as she shook the dirt and debris out of her hair. P-Body shifted through some of the things she had found and pulled out a plastic sign. Angie wasn't the best reader, but she knew what most of it said. It didn't help that the sign was corroded and crumbling.

"New…ap…apart…apartments! Now leasing at cob…cob…Cobblestone Landing." Angie read out loud. "Cobblestone..." Angie murmured. "Didn't Mr. Wheatley say something about looking for a place called Cobblestone?" she asked, looking at the two Androids. P-Body thought for a moment and nodded happily. ATLAS nodded in agreement. "Where did you find this sign, Miss Pee-Bee?"

P-Body pointed to a small bulletin board on the side of a building (according to the sign, it was at one point a small indoor farmer's market). The smell of rotted vegetables and fruit was prominent, so Angie kept her fingers clinched around her nose. P-Body kept Angie from going any further, as her scans indicated the place wasn't safe for a human (especially one of her size) to go in without protective gear. ATLAS went in instead.

Though he wasn't sure what he was looking for, ATLAS turned on the flashlights in his eyes and looked around. The only signs of life were the bugs hovering over the old food and a few wild animals scavenging for food. He kept his distance from the wild animals. He picked up what his scans told him was at one point a banana. At the moment it was black and growing mold and such all over it. He put it down and continued his search throughout the farmer's market.

Old signs littered the walls advertising foods and such and signs on the booth advertised the prices of each food item. _"This place is disgusting."_ GLaDOS chimed in as ATLAS looked about. _"This part of the city must have suffered a lot of that invasion Subject Lil was talking about. Scans indicate there is nothing of interest here, unless you're interested in moldy food."_

As ATLAS started walking again, he looked down at a table and found a newspaper sitting out. He found it odd that it was there, as he didn't see it when he came in. ATLAS picked up the paper and scanned it. It was barely legible, but he could make out most of the headlining article. The picture on the front page looked very familiar. ATLAS brushed some of the dust off of the paper and started reading the headline.

**Search for Local Man Called Off**

**Authorities have called off the search for a local man said to have disappeared two weeks ago. Wheatley Pendleton, age 23, was reported missing by his landlord and neighbors at the Cobblestone Landing Apartment Complex when his rent had not been paid. Saying Pendleton was usually very prompt in his bill payment, the landlord (name withheld) went up to his apartment to check on him. The door was locked and when the landlord went inside using a spare key kept in the main office, there were no signs of Pendleton. **

"**It had looked like no one had been home in days." The Landlord said to reporters. He said he immediately called the police when his gut told him something wasn't right. Neighbors didn't report any strange activity. Pendleton's mailbox was filled to the brim with unopened mail.**

"**It was like he had just left for work and didn't come back." said the Landlord. When police were called, a search of the apartment showed no signs of forced entry or a struggle. Nothing was missing except Pendleton's work bag, his wallet, and his keys. Nothing in the apartment showed Pendleton had planned any type of vacation. A shopping list on the counter with most of the items crossed off and unopened items in the refrigerator suggests he had just finished doing some grocery shopping before he disappeared. Even a picture of Pendleton and his girlfriend sat on the counter, undisturbed.**

**Most of the neighbors described Pendleton as "pretty friendly" and "somewhat accident prone but otherwise a great person and always willing to help out". His behavior changed very drastically, however, when his long-time girlfriend, Pamela Jameson, died a few months ago from health complications. Neighbors and friends reported he became despondent and didn't want to do things he normally enjoyed doing. When asked if it was possible that he just up and left out of grief, the neighbors dismissed the thought. "He wouldn't have just left everything as it was. He was a very organized man. Somewhat aloof, but he liked to keep things organized. Mr. Pendleton wouldn't just up and leave. It's not like him." One neighbor told police.**

**The Landlord expressed no real desire to clean out the apartment for other potential renters just yet. But without any leads to go on, the Sheriff's Office said the search was "like trying to find your way in the dark without a flashlight. He could literally be anywhere and we'd never know. It's like he literally just walked off the face of the Earth."**

**Pendleton, a native of Bristol, England, came to the states after being accepted into an internship with Aperture Laboratories. His employers couldn't be reached for comment. It is not currently known if his family in England has been told of his recent disappearance.**

**Wheatley Prescott Pendleton is 6'7", has light brown hair and wears glasses. He was last seen leaving his apartment wearing a blue button down shirt, black slacks, and carrying a black bag with the Aperture Laboratories logo on the flap.**

**Anyone with any information is advised to call the Sheriff's Department.**

ATLAS put the newspaper under his arm and looked around. _"Go back to Orange and the child. It might be time to meet up with Subject Lil and the idiot. Best to not keep them waiting."_ ATLAS nodded and started making his way back. He was a little curious as why GLaDOS didn't have anything snide to say about the article he just read. ATLAS decided to pose that question later when he looked over at the check-out counter and smiled.

Upon approaching P-Body and Angie, ATLAS presented P-Body with what Angie identified as an old cash register. As if expecting it, Angie saw there was no money inside but P-Body seemed happy with the machine nonetheless. She placed it and the newspaper inside her bag of "treasures" she was collecting and followed ATLAS as they left the market area. She chattered something to ATLAS, which could be interpreted as "We have to come back here sometime. This place has more stuff than the Disposal Wing!"

Climbing down from a small hill of rubble, Lil looked for Wheatley, who had perched himself against the boarded up remains of a supermarket. He blinked a few times, seeing the phantoms pushing their shopping carts to and from the store entrance. One phantom in particular caught his eye. It was her. The "Pam" lady that he kept dreaming about was pushing a shopping cart and looking at a list. Wheatley tried to follow the phantom but only succeeded in walking into the boarded up entrance and hurting himself.

"Well, the only thing this place is telling me is that peaches were on sale for a dollar a pound." said Lil, pointing to a crumbling advertisement. "I've seen them for cheaper, but I guess that's a good deal." She murmured as Wheatley walked around the parking lot. He stood beside a cart return, which was twisted and warped. He saw a brief vision of some local teenagers riding around in the shopping carts and laughed a bit.

The wind started blowing harder. Lil pulled her jacket closer to herself as she walked up to Wheatley. "Wheaters, I don't want to dampen your spirit, but we've been digging through trash for hours. What exactly are we looking for?" she asked, as she zipped up her jacket.

"Anything…" he murmured.

Lil just blinked as Wheatley started walking again. "Anything?!" Lil shouted. "Do you know we could get arrested if anyone finds us here?" she shouted again. Wheatley wasn't paying attention. He just kept walking.

_Wheatley…_

Wheatley jolted up, ignoring Lil yelling at him and focusing on the phantom image in front of him. It was her. She was looking at him. Wheatley blushed and walked toward the image. Lil stopped yelling for a moment and followed Wheatley, who looked like he was in a trance. "Come back!" he yelled as if yelling to an actual person. Wheatley started running, but Lil didn't know what he was chasing. "Wait! Don't leave me again!" he shouted feverishly at the wind as he ran.

_Wheatley…it's time to go home, Wheatley. It's getting late. You know I hate it when you keep me waiting…_

"I'm sorry, please don't be mad!" Wheatley yelled as he chased the image down the road. Lil made a mental note to work out more as she chased after Wheatley, who seemed to be ignoring Lil's pleas for him to slow down and let her catch up. "I didn't mean to be late, just don't be mad!" Wheatley yelled. The phantom started going fast, and so did Wheatley.

_It was pouring rain by the time Wheatley woke up on Harvey's couch. He rubbed his head and reached around for his glasses. "Oh…American beer…" he mumbled as he sat up. His mouth tasted like vomit and his head hurt something fierce. After putting on his glasses, Wheatley looked at his wrist watch and blinked a bit. It was about six in the morning. Too early for Pam to be up, but he knew she'd let him have it either way. He had attempted to call Pam the night before but couldn't get her to answer the phone. He assumed it was revenge for him ignoring her calls and just left her a message on the apartment answering machine telling her he was at Harvey's._

"_Ahh, good morning, Sleeping Beauty." Harvey chuckled as he walked up to Wheatley with a coffee mug in each hand. Wheatley nodded his thank you as Harvey handed him one. "I didn't know how you liked your coffee so I just winged it. It has cream and sugar in it."_

_Wheatley nodded and took a small sip. "Did Pam call at all last night, Mate?" Wheatley slurred, feeling the effects of his hang over. _

_Harvey shook his head and stirred more sugar into his coffee. "Nope. I went to bed shortly after you passed out. You're a pretty funny drunk, Pendleton. You say some pretty gnarly things when you drink. It's funny in a way."_

_Placing the warm coffee mug against his head, Wheatley sighed and tried to regain his composure. "Our anniversary is today and it's already off to a bad start." He murmured as he got up. "Maybe I can sneak back in before she wakes up. She'll be sore at me all day, but I think…" Wheatley stopped for a moment to burp, trying his hardest not to vomit again. "…I think tonight will set everything straight."_

_Harvey laughed softly and finished his coffee. "Before you ask, I put the ring in your glove compartment. You were threatening to swallow it last night. You're a messy drunk too. I never thought I could ever hold my beer better than you. Which reminds me; you're replacing the rugs in my bathroom."_

Wheatley ran past Angie and the Androids as they rounded the corner. Lil stopped to have a breather against a dead tree. "What's wrong with Mr. Wheatley?" asked Angie as she and the Androids ran up to Lil. Lil, struggling to catch her breath, didn't really have an answer.

"He just started spazzing out and then he started running." Lil coughed. As Lil regained her composure, P-Body reached into her bag and pulled out the newspaper ATLAS had found. Lil brushed off some of the dust and started reading. "Oh my…" Lil looked up and started running after Wheatley. ATLAS picked up Angie and put her on his back as the Androids followed.

"Please don't leave me!" Wheatley shouted as he ran down another street. "I'm sorry!" Wheatley didn't notice how breathless he was becoming. With sweat running down his face, he finally stopped at the beginning of a street lined with apartment buildings. The big sign at the beginning of the community had long crumbled away, but the street sign was still up (if not a little bent). He didn't bother reading it, Wheatley just started walking down the long stretch of road.

Lil stopped at the beginning of the community and waited for the Androids to catch up. She was amazed at how far the road stretched. Squinting, she could see the end of the road and the fenced that separated that part of the old city from the new parts. "Lil, look!" shouted Angie, as ATLAS let her down. Lil looked where Angie was pointing. The street sign said "Cobblestone Drive".

The phantoms waved at Wheatley as he slowly made his way down the sidewalk. He looked around and waved back as he made his way down the road. The phantoms went about their business like nothing was wrong. The mailman making his rounds, children waiting for the school bus, and people just getting ready for the day all seemed so familiar. These people were his neighbors. Wheatley smiled softly, feeling like he was at home. This place was filled with memories he wasn't really sure were his, but he smiled as he looked about.

The smile left his face when he walked up to one of the apartment buildings. The number on the side of the building had crumbled off but the building was mostly intact. Some of the steps were missing but with his long legs, it wasn't much of a challenge getting up the steps. He started making his way up the stairs, feeling his head hurting badly now. There were four floors to the building, but he stopped at the third and stared at the door directly in front of him. The plaque on the door said this was apartment 302.

Wheatley slowly reached for the door knob…

_Wheatley unlocked the door and quietly shut it. "Pam?" he called out as he put his keys on the table near the door. No answer. He walked into the living room slowly and noticed that the picture of them together had been turned face down. Oh yes, she was mad. Of course, Wheatley was mad at himself for the horrible things he had said to Pam. It didn't dawn on him until late the night before that she was just as scared as he was; if not more. He knew no amount of apologizing would ever fix it, but as he reached into his pocket and placed the ring box on the kitchen counter, he figured the night he had planned would at least half-way make up for it._

"_Pam, are you home?" he yelled as he looked around the apartment. The bedroom door was shut. It was never usually shut unless they were asleep or getting dressed. Or arguing. Oh yes, she was mad. Wheatley sighed and knocked on the bedroom door softly. "Pam, it's me. Look, I want to apologize for last night. I don't know what came over me." No answer._

"_If I could take it all back, I would. Trust me, I would. The last thing I want is for you to be mad at me. You're the best thing that's happened to me since I came to the states and I don't want this to come between us. I know I shouldn't have stormed out like that. I definitely shouldn't have ignored your calls. But I think if we sit down and talk about this, like adults, we can work through it. It's our anniversary, our one year anniversary might I add, and I have so much planned for us today. I wanted today to be special for you." No answer._

_Wheatley rubbed his forehead and sighed. "I know I said some things last night that hurt you. But I think I could get used to it. Not that this is something that goes away after a little while. But after thinking about it and talking it over with Harvey, I think I might actually enjoy being a father. Especially if you're the mother. And I was thinking about it on the way home and Lillian would be the perfect name for a little girl. Just as long as you promise me that if we have a boy we won't name him 'Wheatley, Jr.'. It's not as dignified a name as you might think. Especially stupid sounding with a 'junior' stuck at the end of it." No answer._

"_I just want you to know that I love you no matter what and…I'll love the baby with all my heart and soul. I'll be next to you every step of the way. Through the morning sickness, the food cravings, the weight gain, all of it. I just don't want us to start a family on this bad note. I love you, Pam…open up the door, Love…" No answer._

_Starting to get a little frustrated, Wheatley huffed a bit and reached for the door knob. "Now look, Pam; I've poured my heart out to you and I apologized now the least you can do…" Wheatley noticed the door wasn't locked. He turned the knob slowly and opened the bedroom door. "Pam?" No answer._

_Wheatley looked into the bedroom. Pam wasn't on the bed. "PAM!" Wheatley shouted as he ran to Pam. Pam was on the floor in the fetal position, grasping her stomach. She was out cold and barely breathing. "Pam, wake up!" he shouted feverishly as he shook her. "Oh no…please, Pam wake up!" he shouted. Wheatley immediately ran to the phone._

_He rode in the ambulance with the paramedics as they rushed her to the hospital. Wheatley was forced to stay in the waiting room as the doctors worked. The first thing he did was call her family. After hearing her father yell at him, Wheatley hung up and sat down in a chair. Doctors and nurses running about, he wasn't sure who was going where. Wheatley hoped in his heart of hearts that these people were running to help Pam. Wheatley grabbed at his hair and tried to keep himself composed._

_Hours went by. After a few cups of the really bad waiting room coffee and after reading the last of the old magazines, a doctor came up to him. "Mr. Pendleton?" the man asked. _

_Wheatley shot up. "How is Pam?" he asked, grasping his almost empty cup._

_ "She's…stable for the most part." The doctor said, looking at his chart. _

_"…and the baby?" Wheatley asked, feverishly._

_The doctor shook his head and put his hand on Wheatley's shoulder. "We couldn't save the baby. Her body was too fragile to carry the child. We're still not sure why she fainted, but we believe it had to do with a mixture of her illness and being pregnant. How long has she been off her medication?" the doctor asked. _

_Wheatley shrugged. "I don't know. She only recently talked to me about getting off of it. I wasn't sure why, but I guess now I know."_

_The doctor nodded and led Wheatley down the hall to Pam's room. She was still out cold. Monitors and other things were hooked up to her. Her heart monitor was the only thing making noise in the room. "I won't sugar coat it for you, Mr. Pendleton. It doesn't look good. But we'll keep her monitored and have a doctor in here every hour. We'll notify you as soon as we get the test results back. If you need anything, the call nurse button is above the bed."_

_Wheatley thanked the doctor as he left and sat in the chair by Pam's bed. He sat there for days, calling out of work and keeping Pam's family informed of any developments. There weren't many, so Wheatley was only slightly relieved to not getting yelled at by her father for not taking better care of his daughter. Wheatley hadn't shaved or left the hospital in days. Harvey brought him a change of clothes and some food every day after work and kept Wheatley up to date at the goings on around Aperture._

_He might have been using up his sick days, but if it meant he could be there when Pam woke up he didn't care. He'd sniffle and cough at his desk if he needed to. Wheatley paced the hospital room day in and day out. He waited for anything. He waited…until there was nothing left to wait for._

_Wheatley awoke from his chair next to her bed to the feeling of something cold. He opened his eyes slowly and watched as she did the same. Pam smiled softly and gave his hand a quick squeeze before closing her eyes again and letting go of him. Her heart monitor went flat. Before he could do anything, a swarm of doctors ran into the room and shoved Wheatley to the side._

Lil was the first to enter the apartment after finally catching up to Wheatley. She was holding the newspaper tightly and looking around. The apartment was somewhat safe compared to the rest of the building. Granted, the roof had a giant hole in it and most of the walls and floor were crumbling, but otherwise it was fine. "Wheatley?" she yelled, looking around.

She found him inside the bedroom after the door fell off the hinges. Wheatley was laying on the old bed in the fetal position with tears streaming down his face. Lil felt something tell her not to go any further. She stood there and watched as Wheatley lay on one side of the bed, crying mournfully.

_The funeral was short, but to Wheatley it felt like it was going on forever. With Pam's father no longer yelling at him, Wheatley tried his hardest to mourn Pam in peace. As per her requests (she made out a will just in case), she was buried in her family's plot in her hometown. It'd be a two hour drive for Wheatley whenever he wanted to visit her grave, but he didn't care. He'd drive to the moon and back for her._

_Wheatley gave a good speech at the funeral but said nothing as they lowered the woman he loved into the ground. Wheatley was angry at himself more than he was mourning. His last words to her were so hurtful and he probably knew why she was calling him so feverishly the night of the argument. How could he ignore the woman he loved when she needed him?_

_The first thing Wheatley did when he got home (after taking off his shoes) was turn the picture of himself and Pam face down as he made his way to their bedroom. He laid down slowly on his side of the bed __and cried himself to sleep._

"I remember…" he muttered, as Lil came closer. "I remember her. I remember Pam." Wheatley sat up and took off his glasses.

"Who's Pam?" Lil asked.

"My girlfriend…" Wheatley answered as he sat up. Those words hit Lil harder than she imagined they would, like she had been punched in the gut and then kicked a few times in the same spot. She composed herself while trying to conceal the unknown pain. Lil sat next to him and just stared at him. Wheatley smiled and sighed. "Miss Lil, can I ask you something?"

"Sure, Wheaters; ask me anything." Lil answered as she sat down.

Wheatley cleared his throat and turned to Lil. "Do you think…I'm the real Wheatley?" he asked. Lil just stared at him. She wasn't quite sure how to interpret Wheatley's question.

Somewhat taken aback, Lil just looked at Wheatley. "What do you mean 'The Real Wheatley'? You're the only Wheatley I know."

The simple answer Lil gave seemed to make Wheatley mad, but he wasn't sure why. "I am a fake…" he muttered as he looked away from Lil. "I'm not the real Wheatley. I don't know why, but in my dreams, the Wheatley in there has everything under control. His life, his thoughts, his girlfriend…but why does that Wheatley seem more real than me?" he asked.

Lil wasn't sure how to answer that. "Even if it is truly me, it doesn't feel like it. It's like I'm watching a really bad movie and it's staring me. I felt these emotions, but when I wake up or snap out of a vision, I don't feel like that person was me. I feel like..." he sighed, not sure if he even wanted to continue. "I feel like a ghost…"

Lil put her hands on his shoulders and started to rub them. "You are the real Wheatley. I'm not sure what those dreams are telling you, but to me, you are the real Wheatley." Wheatley blushed as Lil rubbed his shoulders. He liked this. He liked the attention Lil gave him. Lil patted his back and stood up. "You should meditate on it. On your life before you went to…that place where my mom was. On your life…with your girlfriend." said Lil as she got up.

Wheatley put his glasses back on and stood up. "I remember…" he muttered as he left the room. Wheatley didn't see himself feeling any better when Angie walked up to him with a picture frame.

"Look Mr. Wheatley it's you!" she shouted happily. Wheatley slowly took the silver picture frame and started to shake. The picture was indeed of him. He had on a proud smile and he was holding the girl next to him close. The girl looked like she didn't go outside much and had a peaceful smile. Despite the frame around it losing its silver coloring, the glass and the picture inside were almost perfectly untouched.

Wheatley clenched the frame tightly until the glass broke. He tried his hardest to hold back the tears as the frame crumbled apart. He couldn't take it anymore. Wheatley fell to his knees and finally let loose. All the suppressed memories were finally coming at him full force and he couldn't handle it. He held onto the picture for dear life and sobbed uncontrollably. "I'm sorry…" he kept muttering. "I'm sorry! I love you! Please don't leave me again…"

Lil decided it was time to leave and helped Wheatley up. ATLAS and P-Body decided to do a final sweep of the apartment for any components they might find useful. P-Body opened up a random drawer in the kitchen and emptied out its contents into her bag. As she did so, a small green box slid from the back of the drawer. P-Body carefully opened the small box and found a ring inside. She took the ring out and examined it closely, doing scans of it and otherwise looking it over.

"Let's go, you two!" Lil shouted from the floor below. ATLAS and P-Body finished their rounds and ran to catch up. P-Body placed the ring and its box in her pocket.

_Later that night, at the Apartment_

"…and with a wave of her hand, the Evil Queen granted the brave Warrior her freedom. The End." Lil finished the story and tucked Angie in.

"That story gets better each time." Angie yawned, snuggling next to her countless stuffed animals as Lil started to leave her room. "Lil, why is Mr. Wheatley sad?" Angie asked. Lil stopped and looked at her sister.

She sighed and folded her arms. "It's probably something you're too young to understand, Kiddo. Mr. Wheatley is having a bit of an existential crisis right now. It's best not to bother him with anything. Especially about the picture we found, alright?"

Angie nodded and sat up. "Lil, do you think Mr. Wheatley likes that lady more than he likes you?" she asked. Lil stopped dead in her tracks. "I think he probably liked that lady once a long time ago. But I don't think he likes her as much as he likes you, Lil. He's always talking about how great you are, but he never mentions that lady." Angie's prattling fazed Lil somewhat, who hesitated to answer. "I hope he doesn't like her more. Because I think you two would be great together."

Lil forced a giggled and turned to her sister. "Angie, you're too young to think such things. Go to sleep."

"You and Mr. Wheatley should get married so he can be a real part of our family and not be as sad!" Angie shouted.

Lil blushed at the statement and shook her head. "What goes on between me and Mr. Wheatley is none of your business, Short Stuff." Lil growled as she left the room.

"I know you say his name when you make the buzzing noise!" Angie yelled as Lil closed her bedroom door tight.

After putting Angie's remarks in the back of her head, Lil couldn't get her mind to concentrate on anything else but the events of the past few hours. Already in her pajamas, the day's events played in her head like a really bad movie. She had taken a shower to clean some of the rubble from her hair that the strong wind had blown around. Lil hated feeling the way she did. Was she jealous of this Pam lady that Wheatley talked about? She noticed he wouldn't stop staring at the picture he found on the way home from the old part of town.

Whoever she was, Pam apparently meant something to Wheatley at some point in time. He held onto the picture religiously and hadn't left his room since they had returned home. The hardwood floors were cold under her feet, but that was the least of Lil's worries. The weather called for snow, and she could feel it coming. Lil thought about knocking on Wheatley's door to say good night, but decided it was best to leave him to his thoughts.

Whatever she was feeling, Lil didn't like it.

Walking into the living room, Lil noticed the picture on the coffee table. It had been in that picture frame for so long, she was surprised it was still in such good condition. Lil picked up the picture and stared at it. Pam was very beautiful with dirty blonde hair and freckled cheeks. She was shorter than Wheatley (of course, so was everyone else) and had a loving smile. Lil couldn't tell if her eyes were green or blue, but they were pretty. Lil could see why Wheatley loved her; she had kindness in her smile and love in her eyes.

Lil sighed and placed the picture down softly. Jealous? Maybe she was. It felt silly to be jealous of a woman who had been dead for over a century, but Lil was feeling it. Wheatley looked so happy then, happier than she had ever seen him. Lil sighed softly and sat down on the couch, staring at the wall.

The light from the street lights shined into the apartment from the balcony door. She looked at the floor and saw a silhouette from the lights outside. Lil shot up, and noticed it was Wheatley, standing on the balcony. He hadn't gotten dressed for bed yet.

Lil put on her slippers and walked outside. "Wheaters?" she whispered softly, stepping onto the balcony. Wheatley looked behind at her and then back to the snow, which had just started falling. Lil slowly closed the balcony door and joined him. She placed her hand on his back, feeling him breathe softly.

"Why did it have to happen now?" he asked, softly. Lil looked at him inquisitively. "I thought I had everything under control. For the first time since I was put back into this bloody body, I felt I finally had control over everything. Now this…"

Wheatley looked up at the night sky. The clouds covered the moon too perfectly in Lil's opinion. "She kept appearing in my dreams. I didn't know who she was. All I knew was that this particular woman had a huge impact on the man I used to be. Seeing her made me happy. But looking at that picture, I don't feel like I'm the same man as I was then…"

Lil continued to rub his back, not sure what to say.

Wheatley turned away from Lil. "I remember…I remember my old life; most of it, anyway. I remember Pam and it frightens me…" The snow was starting to fall only slightly faster. "I remember being so in love that I spent all my money on a ring to make her my wife and then having that big stupid argument and blaming her for something that was beyond both of our control. She never came to, Miss Lil…I found her fainted on our apartment floor the morning of our one year anniversary and…it's my fault…she died thinking I was mad at her…"

Wheatley took off his glasses and covered his eyes. Lil placed her hand back on his shoulder. "Wheatley, don't do this to yourself. That was years ago. Literally over a century ago. You had no control over it. It happened, and she's at peace now. She kept her suffering a secret, and yes that was wrong of her, but you know she loved you. With all her heart; and Pam wouldn't want you to keep blaming yourself."

Wheatley knew Lil was right, but he didn't want to admit it. "She wanted us to have a family. I'd be lying if I said I didn't want the same thing. Pam was an amazing woman. I'll always love her…"

Lil felt her heart sink. She bit her bottom lip and took her hand off Wheatley's back. "I don't want to spend the rest of my life looking for the past." He whispered softly. "Being human means I have to suck it up and keep going. I can't be sad…I can't…"

"Wheatley, it's alright to be sad about this. She meant a lot to you, and it's understandable that you still love her. She's beautiful, you said she was smart, and I bet she had a nice figure…" there was a hint of jealously in Lil's voice that definitely didn't go over Wheatley's head. "It's okay if you still love her…"

Wheatley's gaze met hers and he sighed. "It's a little more complicated than that, Miss Lil. You don't understand what I've been fighting for so long. Years as a happy little core zooming around on my rail. It was a simple, yet quite satisfactory life. Then one day I'm launched into space and twenty-something years later I'm being shoved into a human body. And to add to it, it was my body. My bloody body and I didn't even know I was human once. But coming to terms with being human again, then having to relearn everything and then…I find out my best friend is gone and her daughters…then Pam…" Wheatley immediately looked at Lil, forgetting they were outside.

Lil blinked softly and looked at him. "Miss Lil, you're freezing!" Wheatley panicked and pulled her close to him, rubbing her arms hastily.

"I'll be fine." Lil moaned softly as she looked up at Wheatley. She really wasn't sure what to say to make either of them feel better. "I guess she'll always have a special place in your heart, won't she?" asked Lil, as Wheatley slowed down.

"Yes, she will. I think she will, anyway. Most of my memories are still a scrambled mess. But I do know this: You're right. As much as I blame myself for what happened, she'd want me to move on." Wheatley put his glasses back on and looked into Lil's eyes.

"Miss Lil, she made me feel like no one had ever made me feel. That feeling would have been gone forever, but I only rediscovered that feeling when I met you." Wheatley looked down at Lil, who had begun blushing as the snow fell faster. "Finding that picture was wonderful, beyond words even, but as wonderful as it was, I know she's gone. She's not coming back, ever. In my dreams, I got to love her again. I got to hold her again and it was wonderful. But those were dreams of a different time. And as much as I want to, I can't hold her in life…like I can you."

Wheatley stroked Lil's blushing cheek. "Being a human again made me realize that…nothing makes sense. Nothing. At all. Nothing makes sense even if you put the minutest detail into it. But when I'm close to you, everything makes sense. I don't know how to put it into words, but I feel…I feel this sense of home. Like I belong next to you. And you belong with me, where I can keep you and Tiny Human safe and take care of you both."

Lil tried not to blush, but she couldn't help it. Wheatley put her hand on his heart and smiled. "I still don't think I quite understand human emotions and such, but I do know this: I'm in love with you, Miss Lil. I think I'll always love Pam. But she was my past…you're my future…"

Wheatley wrapped his arms around Lil, who didn't fight it. Lil looked up at Wheatley. Her limbs became jelly as his grip around her became tighter. This man, someone from her mother's past, was pledging his life to Lil and her sister. For the first time in a long time, Lil had no idea how to feel.

Wheatley smiled warmly. "Miss Lil, a little while ago, we were rudely interrupted by my implant going crazy…"

Lil looked at Wheatley with a look of relieved hope. "You remember…?" she asked softly, as he wiped a piece of snow from her blushing cheek.

He nodded. "I wish I could express the true nature of my feelings, but the simplest way would be…" Wheatley hesitated for a moment and looked away. His eyes deep with determination, he knew it was now or never as he faced her again. "Lil…may I kiss you?"

She didn't have to answer.

They both knew the answer.

He brought her chin up, and held her tightly…

...and they kissed…

Wheatley and Lil embraced the feeling of each other's warmth as the snow started to fall harder and the wind blew the flakes around them. The cold didn't seem to bother them. Silhouetted by the street lights and the moon peeking from behind the clouds, Wheatley and Lil kept each other warm as the kiss took them both into a state of being that seemed like a beautiful dream; as if in another world where only Wheatley and Lil existed.

To Wheatley, Lil's lips were soft and warm, like toasted marshmallows toasted just to the point of perfection.

To Lil, Wheatley's kiss was strong and powerful, confident and commanding (she found this very attractive). He grasped her tighter and pulled her deeper into the kiss.

In his mind…no, not just there, but more importantly in his heart, she was no longer Miss Lady's daughter, or Miss Lil. She was just Lil, the woman he loved. The woman he wanted to have every night in his arms and every day by his side. Wheatley vowed to Chell when he last visited her grave that he'd take care of Lil and Angie. Wheatley intended to keep this promise.

They slowly parted and stared deeply into each other's eyes. Wheatley kept his hand on her chin and smiled down at Lil, his eyes magnified by his glasses. It was cold. Very cold; but neither of them noticed the snow piling up on the street or around them. Lil laid her head on Wheatley's chest as he cradled her. They slowly went inside to avoid the snow.

Wheatley kept his arms around Lil, not wanting to let her go. Not that Lil was in a hurry to leave Wheatley's arms. For the first time in years, Lil felt safe and warm. She couldn't have asked for a better Christmas present than having met Wheatley when she did. She didn't need anything; she only wanted him. Of course, the feeling was mutual for Wheatley. Since he first saw her, he knew he'd share something special with Lil, but he wasn't quite sure of what it was at the time.

"Wheatley…" Lil murmured as the snow drifted lights outside silhouetted their embrace. "Would you sleep with me in my bedroom tonight?" she asked as she twiddled her fingers under his chin, playing with the peach fuzz accumulating on his face.

Wheatley rubbed his cheek against Lil's (of course, he had to bend down a bit). "I'd love to, Lil…" he whispered as Lil led the way.

The bedroom door shut softly and all the worries of the world were gone. All that existed in that room were Wheatley and Lil; two humans joined in blissful passion, refusing to let each other go.

Lil fell asleep first as Wheatley stroked her messy hair softly. Her head on his chest, Wheatley sighed happily. Lil's afterglow and sleepy smile gave Wheatley a warm feeling, though not even close to as good as he was feeling at that moment.

This is what being human meant. He liked how it felt. If it meant being with Lil and loving her, he didn't have to rethink anything. He had never seen Lil smile so wide. Of course, to his knowledge, he has never felt anything like what just happened. It felt natural. Of course, Wheatley always felt being with Lil was natural.

"Humanity…this is it…" he whispered with Lil wrapped in his arms.

"Hmmm? Wheaters, is something wrong?" Lil moaned, as she woke up softly. Wheatley chuckled softly and brought Lil closer to him (if that was even possible at this moment).

"No, Love…nothing is wrong. Everything is perfect." he muttered, as he kissed the top of her head.

_At the Facility_

"_You heard WHAT?"_ GLaDOS shouted as the Androids explained everything. They had snuck out of the apartment and broke into a computer store in order to have their meeting with GLaDOS. This was the only way she could address both of them. _"Oh that's disgusting. Don't ever tell me anything like that again. Well, it doesn't matter. I finally have everything ready and the next part of the mission can commence as soon as I get confirmation that the escort bots are ready."_

P-Body nudged ATLAS, who started to explain everything in their inaudible chatter. _"You…you want to abort the mission? Why would you want to do something that stupid? Don't you remember why I sent you out there? Why else would I waste precious resources giving you two human-like bodies?"_

The Androids looked at each other and then at the screen again. _"I don't care how attached you've grown to them, they aren't your family! They are worthless humans and what's more; relatives of HER. They need to be taken care of, especially that Subject Lil. You've been given your orders! Go through with it and if I see you two fighting back, there will be consequences. DIRE consequences. I don't care what happens to the idiot. I don't need him anymore. But when the plan starts to come into action, I don't want any interference. Is that understood?"_

Looking at each other, the Androids nodded to the computer screen. ATLAS disconnected the cable as soon as they heard police sirens heading for them. He led P-Body out through the window they broke into and down the street before the cops showed up. They hid in an alleyway as the police surrounded the building. P-Body shook her head and chattered something worriedly to ATLAS. ATLAS tried his best to calm P-Body's panic, but it did little good.

Both of them knew of an upcoming danger and the words of the scraggly human from before they left the compound seemed to be echoing throughout their robotic minds. P-Body looked at ATLAS sternly and took his hands in hers, as if asking him to promise her something.

ATLAS nodded and as soon as the coast was clear, the two ran down the road back toward the apartment.

* * *

><p><strong>N'cha, everyone! Did you all have a great Christmas? I did…to an extent, lol.<strong>

**The reason this took me so long was because of many factors. **

**1) Christmas **

**2) My computer breaking down…again. **

**3) I scrapped a ton of drafts before this one but I am very happy with the way this turned out. **

**4) Skyrim lol**

**This chapter is my belated Christmas present to all of you. As a thank you for being such great fans and helping me keep my chin up through the dark times I've had lately. I reread the reviews for my story whenever I had a down moment and they all just inspired me to keep going. I made myself get up and write this and I rewrote it again and again until I was satisfied with it. Because my theory is if the writer is not happy with the end product, neither will the reader. So, I worked my butt off to get this out and done in a timely yet unrushed manner. If it feels a bit rushed, just let me know and I'll fix it. I want everyone to have a good time here so just let me know, Okie?**

**I'm going to be taking a short break for New Years, but I will let you guys in on the next chapter. There is going to be a chase scene that would be best read to DragonForce. Preferably "Through the Fire and The Flames" but it's up to you guys.**

**Though the chapter is for everyone, I want to dedicate it especially to my good friend Sparky16. I told you if you were patient, they'd get their moment lol. Go check out her stuff and send her some love!**

**As always, I am forever grateful for your reviews and favs. I find myself inspired by the love and support your reviews give me and it keeps me writing. So, review and be merry my friends and let me know how I did. Happy belated Christmas and have an awesome New Years, you guys!**

**GLaDOS, Wheatley, ATLAS, and P-Body belong to Valve.**


	20. Lost and Found

_Reconstructing Humanity_

Lost and Found

The purrs of the machines could be heard all over the compound. GLaDOS had her nanobots and other repair bots doing renovations to her chamber and a few other places as well. Everything was starting to come together and everything about this day was perfect. Everything was running like clockwork; on time and in some areas ahead of schedule. She could hardly believe everything was coming to fruition as fast as it was.

"There might be resistance from the humans and the Androids. Bring back the Androids if you can; it's not a high priority but I still might need them. I don't care what happens to the idiot or the child, but make sure the human adult female is unharmed. I anticipate the Androids to go against my wishes, which is why I turned off my communications with them. I didn't want them to know what I truly had in store. Do what you must to get to the human adult female. The well-being of any other adult human is unimportant." said GLaDOS over the loud speaker to the newly activated Escort Bot.

From his little secured den, the scraggily man watched on modified monitors as everything was happening. He watched as GLaDOS put all the human test subjects back in the cryochambers during the repairs. He watched as the nanobot work crews and the Escort Bots made significant changes to each of the new testing tracks. He had a feeling that whatever GLaDOS had planned, she was going through a lot of trouble for it. It was like she wanted everything to be perfect.

His equipment was old and some of it was broken, but from this secured den in the Core Garden (a place that was once an underground warehouse and a series of offices at one point but now overrun by vegetation and inhabited by free range cores), the scraggily man could safely keep an eye on GLaDOS. He had deduced long ago that something wasn't right with GLaDOS (more than the usual "not right" anyway) and started diving deeper. He still had much to do as far as finding out why GLaDOS was acting against her own programing, but at the moment he had to take care of something.

"Mr. Human, the Tech Core says he found that spare part you were looking for. It was covered in_ Omphalotus Nidiformis_ spores, but he said it is salvageable." said the Gardening Core, who had lately been acting as the Scraggily Man's assistant.

The Scraggily Man nodded. "Thank you. I'll get to it as soon as I can." The Scraggily Man muttered. The core zoomed away on the management rail, leaving the man alone again. In his time among them, the Scraggily Man had come to be accepted as the core's leader. Maybe it was his own dwindling sanity, but he liked it.

Pressing a few buttons and clicking an icon on the scrabbly screen, The Scraggily Man had hacked into the security feed. He knew it would be suicidal to try and stop what he was watching. Without a secured feed, he couldn't stop GLaDOS's plans without exposing himself and the cores. They had become his family, and refused to sacrifice them. "What I want to know is…" the Scraggily Man said, shifting his position in his chair. "Where did she get the resources to make THAT?"

What he was looking at was unlike any escort bot he had ever seen. It looked like she was fitting it out for combat. _Combat with what?_ He wondered, as he took another swig from his water jug. He took a closer look and noted she was giving it a simple android body. He thought this was equally strange.

He remembered his days as a scientist before everything went to Hell. They had only manufactured a few party escort bots for the test subjects who caught on fast about Aperture's true intentions. The initial design went through many stages; from a giant death bot to an itty bitty cute robot. Eventually, both ideas were scrapped for the more practical (and less expensive) Escort Bot. It was simple, had arms and legs and a red core which changed colors (red for beware, yellow for warning, green for calm) serving as a warning to any wayward subjects.

Beside the Scraggily Man's chair sat an old Weighted Companion Cube. Old Aperture technology, it had been his constant companion for years; from his first attempts at shutting down GLaDOS, to his stint in the extended relaxation bed, and even after a hundred years in the relaxation bed, it was still there loyally waiting for him to awaken. He patted the cube on its top heart and sighed. He looked down at it. "Yes, I know what she has planned. As for whether or not we can stop it, I'd say it's already too late."

He hit the side of the buggy, cracked monitor a few times to get a clearer picture of the Central A.I. Chamber. The Scraggily Man sighed and leaned back. Odd prophetic paintings adorned his new den. His eyes lit up as he typed on his module. He looked down at the cube again, a little frustrated with its constant questions. "I told you already; it's too late to stop it now. Everything is in motion. I couldn't get close enough to her to stop it. The only intelligent thing to do at this point is wait. We'll help when the time comes. Whether we want her to or not, 'Alice' is coming to Wonderland." The scraggily man took a quick swig from a water jug nearby.

"All we can do is hope the White Rabbit knows what to do…"

_In the City_

Though the morning was cloudy, the sounds of children at play could be heard throughout the shopping district. The snow had just finished falling as ATLAS and P-Body walked with Angie outside to play in the snow with the other neighborhood children. The snowball fight between the kids from down the road and Angie and her two Androids was about to commence. The morning was off to a relatively good start.

Wheatley awoke and stretched his arms out as far as they could go. The night had treated Wheatley well, despite everything he had learned about himself. There were still questions that plagued his mind and kept him up at night. A lot of unanswered questions still crept in and kept him on his toes. Humanity, though he had gotten pretty used to it by now, was still just as confusing. Sleep was still his enemy, but now that he was sleeping next to Lil, the sleep might just come easier.

For the first time since becoming human again, Wheatley felt absolute ease. Nothing felt as good as he felt at that moment.

Though he needed guidance, Wheatley and Lil's first night together was perfect. He repeatedly told her she was beautiful and didn't need to hide it. She assured him he was strong and shouldn't second guess himself. This raw instinct felt wonderful. Better than the euphoric solution any day. Wheatley had explained to Lil what euphoric solution was, but it didn't stop her dirty minded giggles. His naiveté to the subject didn't go over Lil's head. She sometimes found it quite funny that he still had little to no knowledge of human relationships.

Wheatley rubbed his eyes and picked his glasses off the end table. After staring down the picture of Lil's parents for a few seconds, Wheatley got out of bed. He liked how comfortable Lil's bed was compared to his bed. Hers was soft and big; good for a human of his stature.

Finding his pants (he almost ripped them off the night before, proclaiming he'd never need them again), he slowly put them on and left Lil's bedroom. He found Lil making breakfast. He smiled and rubbed his head, trying to straighten out his hair. By how groomed she was, Wheatley assumed Lil had been up for a good while. He wrapped his arms around Lil just as she was flipping a pancake.

"Morning, Love." Wheatley whispered, as he kissed her cheek.

Lil yelped in surprise and smile. "Well, it's about time you woke up." She giggled, turning around to greet him. Wheatley liked Lil's kisses. He decided to find any excuse to kiss her now. "Angie was wondering when you'd be up. She and the Androids are down in the street waging a snowball war against the other kids. She was hoping you'd be the lookout."

Wheatley laughed and watched as Lil finished making the first pancake. "So, did you sleep good last night?" asked Lil as she placed the pancake on the plate in front of Wheatley.

"I was next to you, Lil; of course I did." Wheatley said coyly. Lil liked that Wheatley was calling her by her name now instead of "Miss Lil". It made her feel old when he called her that. Lil flipped a few more pancakes onto a plate and smiled. "So, last night…me and you, eh?" he laughed. Lil giggled and continued to make breakfast. "You know, Lil, I was thinking; this makes us something of an item now, doesn't it?" he asked. Lil smiled and nodded to him. Wheatley felt his heart flutter a bit. "I wonder how Tiny Human will take it."

"I think she'll be overjoyed. Besides, I think she might already know. We weren't exactly quiet. We could have waked the dead!" Lil joked.

"That would have been weird; causing a whole zombie apocalypse because of some innocent love making." Wheatley pondered. Lil rolled her eyes and continued making breakfast. "Another thing: you explained human procreation to me a little while ago…"

"…and it was awkward." Lil giggled softly. "I was saving that speech for Angie when she hit puberty."

Wheatley laughed and leaned on his elbows. "That is a conversation best left for a different time. But you told me that it's best done with protection." In his head, Wheatley was picturing a full suit of armor as opposed to a condom. "That being said, if we didn't use protection, did we…"

Grabbing a plate from the cabinet, Lil looked at Wheatley with a slight confusion. Part of her probably knew what he was about to ask, but she still hesitated. "Did we what?" she asked.

"Did we…well, Lil, Love, you said humans do…that wonderful, wonderful thing we did last night to make other humans. So, did we make tiny humans?" Wheatley watched as Lil paused.

She blinked a few times and looked away. She didn't answer. She did, however, serve Wheatley the best blueberry pancakes he had ever tasted. He cut into his pancakes and watched as Lil went to the refrigerator and took the post-it stack off of it. Wheatley still had a small vendetta against the post-it notes. "Wheaters, would you do me a favor and go to the drug store for me when you're done?" Lil asked, writing stuff down.

"Oh, of course! Anything for you Lil, Darlin'." said Wheatley happily, as he cut into another pancake. Lil smiled and handed him a list of things to pick up. "Alright then, let's see what we got here: we got milk, eggs, butter, a pack of Plan B pills…Plan B pills?"

"Just ask the pharmacist for help on those. It's…special medicine." Lil chuckled nervously. "Take the scooter, the roads should be clear."

Lil sighed nervously and walked over to the balcony. Looking out the balcony window, Lil watched as the neighborhood kids whelped each other with snow balls. "I don't see the point in letting Tiny Human toss that snowy stuff at other children. Looks violent." Wheatley pondered as he left the main room to get dressed.

"It's all in good fun. Snow is basically frozen rain. It's soft and fluffy." Lil made it onto the balcony with her mug of coffee and leaned over the railing.

"ANGELA JILLIAN MCLAIN!" Lil shouted toward the street below, sending Wheatley back a bit. "IF I FIND OUT YOU'RE PACKING THOSE SNOWBALLS WITH ROCKS AGAIN, YOU'RE GROUNDED UNTIL YOUR SIXTEENTH BIRTHDAY!"

Wheatley tried to keep his chuckles down as Lil walked back in. Wheatley had finished getting dressed and zipped up his coat. "Try not to be too long, Wheatley." cooed Lil, as she poured herself some more coffee. With a coy smile, Wheatley wrapped his arms around Lil and kissed her good-bye.

Zooming by on his scooter, Wheatley waved to Angie, who was breaking apart her snow ball arsenal and making new ones. The cold air felt pretty good on Wheatley's face as he drove down the road. He smiled as he rounded each corner and laughed joyfully as the suspension bounced him about.

Wheatley didn't take long at the drug store seeing as the list was pretty straight forward. He didn't care too much for the odd looks the ladies behind the pharmacy desk gave him, but these pills were for Lil, and they were apparently important, whatever they were. The streets were indeed clear, but the air was horribly cold. He liked riding the scooter. It was fast, lightweight, and it was good on gas. If there was one thing Wheatley didn't like about the scooter was that it was small for a man of his stature.

He ignored the pain in his knees for now. For the first time in a while, being outside didn't make him nervous. Wheatley wasn't afraid he was going to have a random flashback and disrupt traffic or get the crazy urge to go down a street different from the one he was supposed to. "Maybe…" he murmured to himself as he waited for the light to turn green. "…whatever the ghosts were trying to tell me had something to do with what happened last night between me and Lil." He mused as the light turned green.

"Maybe…" he continued, as he rounded another corner. "…She was telling me it was alright…" Wheatley pulled his scooter over and parked near the park. He didn't want to back up traffic with the revelation he was apparently having. "…that she still loved me and wanted me to be happy..." He smiled and leaned forward against the handlebars. "…and that it's okay that I'm in love with Lil."

Feeling a little better about himself, Wheatley made sure his helmet was on straight and started up his scooter. Before he could move from his parking spot, Wheatley yielded for a passing motorcycle. It was very sleek and the same color as his scooter. He recognized the man on the bike as the neighbor that gave him the scooter. He remembered Lil mentioning that the neighbor guy had bought another bike, but Wheatley didn't think she meant a full on motorcycle. The motorcycle parked in front of Wheatley, who turned off the scooter.

"Hey, you're the guy I gave that scooter too!" the man said happily as he took off his helmet. Wheatley nodded nervously as the man came up to him. "I can see it's treating you well. Your name's Wheatley, right?" the man asked. Wheatley nodded, looking around the man at the gorgeous motorcycle. "Yeah, I figured it was you. I talked to Lil this morning when she went out to get the mail. She told me you two are pretty much an item now. I was wondering when she'd let her little pet sleep in the bedroom." The man joked. Wheatley was too engrossed by the beauty of the motorcycle to take notice to the man's light-hearted teasing.

The man noticed that Wheatley couldn't stop staring at his motorcycle. "Like my new toy?" the man asked.

Wheatley nodded. "This is definitely not a toy, Mate. I've seen Tiny Human's toys, and I think Lil would have a fit if she saw her little sister on anything like this." Wheatley's observation made the man laugh.

"Good one, man. Yeah, Little Angie is way too young for something like this. I figured I'd graduate from scooters and get a real bike after that fiasco with the scooter. Want to take a quick ride?" Wheatley nodded eagerly. He was too busy admiring the bike to hear the man explain that is was a Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14R consisting of a six-speed transmission with a displacement of 1441 cc's. Wheatley just nodded stupidly as the man handed him his helmet. "Now, the scooter helmet might not be ideal for this kind of ride, but I won't go too fast."

Wheatley wasn't sure what the neighbor man's definition of "not too fast" was, but at the speeds they were going now, it wasn't Wheatley's. As the bike seamlessly rounded each street corner with relative ease and impressed passersby, Wheatley wondered how much sweet talk he'd have to give Lil in order to convince her to buy something like this. He dismissed the thought as soon as the ride was over. Wheatley was dizzy, but he looked happy. "You should let me drive that thing sometime, Mate." Wheatley laughed as he regained his composure. The man laughed and sped off, leaving Wheatley sitting by his scooter.

The ride home wasn't as exciting as Wheatley usually found it to be. The scooter simply had nothing on the motorcycle. He could see the bookstore from where he was. Wheatley's heart stirred softly at the thought of being next to Lil again. No motorcycle ride could compare to that. As he parked his scooter, Wheatley suddenly felt a slight twinge in the back of his head. Something was trying to tell him something wasn't right. He rubbed his head softly and leaned against the scooter.

"_These are the newly designed Party Escort Bots." said the instructor, guiding his interns along the manufacturing hallway. "They may not look like much, and honestly, they aren't. Their purpose is to guide the test subjects testing our products from one test track to another."_

_Wheatley wanted to making it look like he was paying attention, but he found himself doodling on his clipboard. It was his second week as an intern and he was already bored out of his mind. Orientations were taking longer than any of them had hoped, but the interns agreed it beat the alternative of actually working. Wheatley yawned softly and erased his little doodle when he felt all the eyes on him. The other interns were chuckling softly to themselves as the instructor called him out. "Mr.…Pendleton?" the instructor looked up from his clipboard. Wheatley nodded._

"_I know it's boring, but try to keep up with the group. We don't need any accidents already." The instructor laughed. Wheatley blushed and held his clipboard close. "Now, you all stay out here while I go talk with the engineers about getting you all a closer look."_

_As the instructor disappeared into the adjourning room, Wheatley sighed and looked into the window. "It'd be a lot more interesting if he wasn't such a killjoy." said one of the interns walking up to Wheatley. "I couldn't help but notice you were doodling on your information packet." He said, happily. The man was a little shorter than Wheatley and had a nicely trimmed goatee. He was heavyset, but by no means fat. Wheatley hugged his clipboard close, but started laughing when the man showed his, which was also covered in doodles. "I would have never made it as a comic book artist anyway." The man joked._

_Wheatley smiled and held out his hand. "Wheatley Pendleton." He said as he and the man shook hands. _

"_Jonathan Harvey." The man answered back. "We've all been working nonstop since we got here I don't think any of us have gotten acquainted properly. I heard you ranked pretty high in your graduating class. That's pretty impressive."_

_Tugging at his shirt collar, Wheatley smiled. "Well, I don't want to brag…" he muttered._

"_Then don't." said another intern snidely. _

"_Who's that bloke?" Wheatley whispered to Harvey. _

_Harvey rolled his eyes. "Oh, ignore him. That's Benjamin Smith. He thinks he's hot stuff because he went to some fancy university. In all honesty, it's really not that impressive."_

_The other three interns walked up the Wheatley and Harvey. "I'm Jessica McIntyre and this is Ashok Darzi." said the only female intern as she pointed to the slightly smaller Indian man next to her. "Darzi and I have been friends since high school, so it wasn't surprising that we both went to the same college and then got accepted here." The girl giggled. _

_Darzi laughed a little as another man walked up. He was probably the second tallest man in the room currently (after Wheatley, of course). "I'm Neil Jacobson." The man said, as everyone shook hands._

_The man called Smith didn't seem as socially inclined as the others, but participated anyway. The interns looked in on the manufacturing floor as one of the escort bots was being finished. "It's basically a robotic bouncer." said Darzi. "It's made to keep the test subjects in check."_

_They watched as one was activated and worked on. They also watched as it malfunctioned and tried to resist its builders. It swung its arms around wildly and even threw a few punches, one knocking out an engineer, before being deactivated by a remote console in the corner of the room. "Well, back to the drawing board as they say." Wheatley murmured as the interns watched one of the engineers get dragged out of the room._

_The interns nodded amongst themselves. Harvey looked over at Wheatley. "It may not look like it's built to do much, but I bet if met with resistance, it can pack quite a punch." Wheatley could only nod in agreement. Though he wasn't sure what a bunch of I.T. interns were doing down in the manufacturing wing, he got a strange feeling they'd all play a part in Aperture that would be bigger than they imagined._

Wheatley rubbed his head and started to go back in. He dodged a few of Angie's snow balls and ran back upstairs with his purchases. Angie laughed as one nearly missed Wheatley as he ran inside. P-Body giggled in her inaudible chirping and went back to packing snow balls. ATLAS stopped what he was doing and looked up at the sky, as if something had alerted him. P-Body stopped as well, looking at the sky as the snow stopped falling. It was still cloudy and cold, but something was wrong. P-Body looked at ATLAS with worry, and he nodded.

"Mr. ATLAS, Miss Pee-Bee, what's wrong?" asked Angie as she piled her ammo. P-Body knew the child couldn't understand her or ATLAS, but even then still didn't have the heart to tell her something was wrong. P-Body stared at the sky, her alert systems were telling her to be ready. For what, she didn't know.

Wheatley walked in and found Lil tuning her guitar. "I don't know why, but I just feel like playing the guitar today." She giggled as she strummed a few cords. Wheatley smiled and put the bag on the counter. Lil shot up and went to it immediately. "Oh good, you got the right ones." She said, ignoring the milk, eggs, and butter. She took the small packet out of the bag and looked it over. Wheatley decided to start tuning Lil's guitar for her. He still wasn't sure how he knew to do what he was doing. He imagined at one point he was probably really good at playing guitar.

Something in the back of Wheatley's head tingled. He often felt the phantom of the implant removed some time ago, but he couldn't help but picture the escort bot from his flashback and the horrible thrashing it was giving to one of its engineers. It made his head hurt. It was as if something was trying to warn him of impending danger. The fear was only heightened by ATLAS and P-Body running inside with Angie in tow.

ATLAS instructed P-Body to take Angie to her room and stay there (Wheatley translated it in his head). "What's going on?" Wheatley demanded. ATLAS explained in hush tones (Wheatley wasn't sure why, as Lil couldn't understand him) that something bad was coming, but neither he nor P-Body were sure what it was. ATLAS knew he'd be in a lot of trouble, but he and P-Body cared for the humans too much to let any harm befall them.

Lil was walking towards her bedroom with the small box when a knock came at the door. Wheatley couldn't hear it over ATLAS's excited chatter. "Look, ATLAS, whatever is wrong, we'll fix it but you have to tell me what's going on, Mate. Just calm down and tell me what's going on." Wheatley shook ATLAS softly and tried to get him to calm down.

Lil put her little box on the table next to the door and opened it. "Yes?" she said as she opened the door. The next sentence was something Wheatley wished he'd never hear again.

"Please assume the party escort position."

"_No, leave me alone!" shouted Wheatley, as the escort bot grabbed his leg. "You can't make me! I won't do it!" Wheatley kicked the bot's core and disabled it temporarily. He started running again. He didn't care about exposing Aperture for the monsters they were. He just wanted to go home. Wheatley decided the moment he was home, he was booking an immediate flight back to England. Aperture may have been relentless in their pursuits, but not even they would travel across the world for a wayward employee._

_The alarms were going crazy. Wheatley knocked over anyone who wasn't wise to what he was doing and just kept running. "Please assume the party escort position." said the broken escort bot. "Of all the things Aperture could make properly, it WOULD be a capture bot." Wheatley mused as he dashed through another department door. Once he was sure he lost it, he stopped to have a breather. He reached into his lab coat pocket and pulled out the disk. It contained the program that secured him a job but at high cost. _

"_Miss Caroline…" he sighed, trying to hold back the tears. "I didn't know they were going to do this to you. Please forgive me, wherever you are. I promise I won't let them do this to anyone again." As soon as he heard people shouting, he left the room he was in and started running again. He remembered hearing one of the scientists talking about how the maintenance areas being the only places in the entire facility where the bots couldn't get to. Whether or not this was true he doubted, but it was the only option he had left._

_As Wheatley started climbing into an air duct, he felt something tug on his leg. He felt something pull him out of the air duct. Wheatley practically dug his nails into the sides of the vent and tried his hardest to resist. He finally yanked his leg free and started crawling through the air ducts. _

"_Please assume the party escort position."_

Wheatley shoved ATLAS aside and looked on in terror. "What? Who are you?" asked Lil, trying to get a better look at the trench coat clad stranger. The man had very plain features, but they reminded Lil of the Androids. He started to repeat his first statement over and over. "Look, pal, I don't know who you are, but you need to leave." said Lil, as she started shutting the door.

"Lil, get away from the door!" Wheatley shouted. It was already too late. Lil didn't get the door shut all the way when it came crashing down. Before Wheatley could grab Lil and pull her out of harm's way, a long metal claw came out of the stranger's back and grabbed Lil, who started kicking and screaming as it lifted her from the ground. "Lil!" Wheatley shouted as he ran to the doorway. He found himself being knocked down by the mysterious man. Wheatley may not have been the most intelligent human, but he knew an android when he saw one. The man's trench coat fell off, revealing the Aperture Science logo on his outfit.

"Thank you for assuming the party escort position." The bot announced as he turned his head.

_"Go ahead and find the child. Take down anyone who gets in your way." _commanded GLaDOS through a communicator. Wheatley could hear the communicator like a loud speaker. It wasn't internal.

_Not some of GLaDOS's best work_ thought Wheatley as he grabbed the guitar.

"Put her down!" shouted Wheatley, brandishing the guitar. Wheatley pounced on the Escort Bot and tried to loosen its grip on Lil. The bot grabbed Wheatley and threw him into the kitchen counter.

"Wheatley!" Lil shouted as the bot's grip tightened.

"Please do not resist. Please continue testing." The bot said plainly. Wheatley got up and grabbed the metallic arm, trying to loosen its grip on Lil again. The bot threw Wheatley again and started scanning the apartment. It made its way to the hallway. Lil kicked its head a few times.

ATLAS stood in its way and scowled at it. The Party Escort Bot's eyes met ATLAS, as if accepting his challenge. The bot threw a punch, which ATLAS caught immediately. _"Blue, stand down!"_ shouted GLaDOS through the external communicator. ATLAS chattered something defiantly and threw a hard punch to the bot's body. Before ATLAS could do anymore damage, the Escort Bot threw its punch, knocking ATLAS through the door of the hallway closet.

Yanking the door off of Angie's room, the bot was met by P-Body, who shielded the scared child. "You leave my sister alone!" shouted Lil as she kicked the escort bot harder. Her foot cracked the bot's face plate and revealed a mechanical face underneath. Lil was horrified, and it didn't change when the bot smashed her against the hallway wall to get her to stop.

Filled with rage at what he just saw, Wheatley summoned all of his strength and pounced on the bot again, smacking it with Lil's guitar. The guitar broke into many itty bitty pieces as the bot turned around. Wheatley looked up nervously and just barely dodged the bot's punch. Wheatley's graceful maneuvering gave him a chance to jump on the bot's back. "Don't worry, Lil! I'll shut him down!" he shouted, as if he knew exactly what to do. He started ripping away at the robot's clothes and synthetic skin, looking for any kind of control panel.

"There!" Wheatley shouted, as he found a control hatch. The bot started reaching to his back as Wheatley tried to get into its programing.

Lil kicked at its head a few more times, accidently hitting Wheatley. "Sorry!" she shouted as the robot grabbed at Wheatley. It finally succeeded before Wheatley could do anything and threw him again, this time through his bedroom door.

The bot looked down at P-Body, who was still shielding Angie. _"Orange, hand over the child now!"_ shouted GLaDOS through the external communicator. The bot swung at P-Body, who grabbed Angie and dodged. The bot landed his punch on a gaggle of stuffed animals, getting one stuck on his hand. The bot yanked the pink unicorn off and threw it aside, cotton flying everywhere.

"Princess Sprinkles!" Angie cried as cotton flew everywhere. P-Body put Angie on her back and dodged the bot a few times, with Angie still holding on. P-Body made a mad dash for the kitchen pantry through the new hole the bot made in the wall. Lil was still screaming at the top of her lungs. P-Body reached into a cabinet and grabbed a frying pan. The bot lunged at P-Body, who smacked it a couple of times with the frying pan. It stopped him only temporarily. Angie held on her dear life as P-Body dodged the Bot's attacks.

ATLAS regained his composure and jumped in the Bot's way, shielding P-Body and Angie. ATLAS and the Bot were in a fist to fist grip war with each other. It took all of his summoned strength, but ATLAS pushed the Bot with such force, it launched him out of the apartment via the balcony.

The people in the streets ran away frightened, thinking the Combine had returned. ATLAS watched as people scrambled to escape the crumbling rubble of the building across the street. ATLAS jumped down and ran toward the Bot. Wheatley, having regained his composure, ran down the steps of their building and looked around for a weapon. Wheatley reached for anything and grabbed crowbar that landed next to him in the excitement. It might have been a sign, but he couldn't think of that at the moment. "I'm coming, Lil!" he shouted as he ran toward ATLAS and the Bot.

Wheatley wasn't sure what he was doing, but he knew it was either the smartest or dumbest thing he could do. It didn't matter; he just wanted to save Lil. The metal arm that held Lil was flailing around wildly, with Lil screaming her lungs out. The Bot threw anything at the two. Wheatley found it hard to fight for Lil as a car was being thrown at him, but he dodged it and pounced on the Bot, swinging his crowbar weapon at it. It disabled the Bot long enough for ATLAS to land a few good punches. "Lil, don't worry, I'm coming!" Wheatley shouted as the Bot was launched into another store front.

Watching from the hole that was once their balcony, P-Body and Angie helplessly looked around. P-Body couldn't endanger Angie, though both of them knew she desperately wanted to be down there helping ATLAS. "Don't worry, Miss Pee-Bee, Mr. ATLAS is strong!" Angie said with a smile. P-Body nodded and continued to watch. It was then her sensors started going off like crazy. She loudly chattered to ATLAS, who only momentarily stopped.

The Bot held up his hands and a small hatch opened up on each. A miniature rocket turret rolled out of each hand and started its barrage. Wheatley and ATLAS dodged the attack almost too gracefully. ATLAS shielded Wheatley as rubble flew everywhere. The missiles hit everything except Wheatley and ATLAS. "The bloody…" Wheatley murmured as people ran around him and ATLAS.

It then came to him. "It's a distraction!" he yelled as he heard what sounded like an engine start.

"_Forget the child, the adult female will do. Get back to the facility now."_ GLaDOS commanded through the external communicator. Wheatley looked up as ATLAS stood. The smoke cleared and revealed the Bot smiling evilly. The bot revealed a small engine on its back that launched it into the air.

"GLaDOS certainly overdid herself." Wheatley murmured as ATLAS looked on, somewhat jealous.

"WHEATLEY!" shouted Lil as the Bot launched.

"Lil!" Wheatley shouted back. Wheatley looked around. He wouldn't let this happen. One woman he loved had already been taken from him; he wasn't going to let it happen again. He looked around. He needed something fast and he needed it now. Wheatley looked over at his scooter, which was sticking out from the rubble.

"No, too slow." He murmured as he looked around. He couldn't run that fast, so that was out of the question. Wheatley looked over at the remains of the neighbor's storefront and smiled deviously.

"Stay here!" he shouted the Androids and Angie.

With a rev of the engine, Wheatley zoomed out of the smoke on the Ninja ZX-14R. "I'll bring it back, I promise!" he shouted, as the very confused neighbor looked on.

ATLAS looked over at P-Body and asked, in the language, if she and Angie were okay. Whatever else ATLAS was saying, P-Body agreed with. Angie felt she knew what they were talking about. "Lil's keys might still be in the apartment!" Angie shouted.

Zooming past the panicking citizens, Wheatley raced after the obviously modified Escort Bot. It was now pretty obvious what GLaDOS had been up to. Wheatley surmised that since Chell was gone, GLaDOS decided her daughters were would suitable replacements in testing, or whatever it was GLaDOS wanted Chell back for. Wheatley refused to let GLaDOS use the woman he loved as a test subject.

The Bot knew Wheatley was giving chase. It launched a few more rocket turrets, which Wheatley dodged gracefully. Lil watched helplessly, her arms bound to her side. The Bot was obviously agitated by this and tightened his grip on Lil, binding her tighter. "Wheatley!" Lil shouted as the metal arm tightened and slithered around her mouth to quiet her. Wheatley wasn't sure why it was flying so low. Maybe to taunt him, but that didn't matter at the moment. Wheatley held up his crowbar and took a few swings at it. The bot watched as Wheatley tried to catch up and decided to go faster. He revved the engine and held on tightly.

Zooming around the corner a mile or so behind Wheatley, ATLAS pressed the gas hard, giving chase in Lil's jeep. With P-Body in the passenger side hugging her backpack tightly (she had grabbed it when they ran into the apartment to get Lil's keys) and Angie in the back, ATLAS swerved around like crazy avoiding the crumbling buildings and rocket turret missiles. "Mr. ATLAS!" Angie shouted as they rounded a corner. P-Body shouted excitedly, pointing ahead. There was Wheatley, still giving chase on the motorcycle. ATLAS scanned the area, trying to find a way to cut off the low-flying Escort Bot.

P-Body and Angie bounced around as ATLAS swerved to avoid the panicking citizens and blaring police sirens. "Mr. ATLAS, put on your seat belt!" Angie shouted, as ATLAS swerved dangerously around a corner. He shouted something and P-Body pointed to another street, which he turned down sharply.

Wheatley leaned forward as he got closer to the bot. The bot slowed down and started smacking at Wheatley. Wheatley figured the bot couldn't multitask and smacked it a couple of times with his crowbar. It slowed the bot down a bit, but not enough for Wheatley to get a good shot. Lil couldn't scream anymore, but the horror in her eyes pained Wheatley enough to rev the motorcycle further. People running around him weren't very distracting, but he had trouble swerving around a wayward pedestrian.

The Bot's rocket turrets fired in every direction, making buildings fall left and right. Wheatley swerved around the rubble as best he could, but was still slowed down quite a bit. The bot looked behind itself and smiled evilly as he zoomed ahead. He could hear Lil trying to yell something, but ignored it. From the sounds of it, it sounded like "Watch out!"

The Bot looked up from his triumphant taunting and saw a yellow jeep serve in front of him. ATLAS and P-Body had gone down a different road to cut the Bot off. It swerved around and lingered for a bit, before heading toward the business district. Wheatley zoomed by soon afterward. ATLAS got back in the Jeep and floored the gas pedal. ATLAS wasn't sure what Wheatley had planned once he caught up to the Bot, but ATLAS wanted in on the action.

Angie bounced around in the backseat and pointed to her struggling sister as the Androids got closer to Wheatley and the Bot. "Lil! Hang on!" she shouted as ATLAS swerved around some panicking citizens. Somehow, Lil had gotten her upper body free and started screaming for Wheatley again. Wheatley finally got close enough to hold his hand out. "Lil! Grab my hand!" he shouted. Lil tried her hardest to reach for Wheatley, but found herself being yanked around another corner.

Wheatley barely missed a group of panicking businessmen as he swerved to follow Lil's kidnapper. He could see in the distance that they were coming to a bridge. He had only seen this bridge once, and that was when he first came into the city months ago. The bot gave itself a boost and flew across the bridge, launching rocket turrets to knock out parts of it. If it thought that would stop Wheatley, it was wrong.

The bots stopped at the bridge, knowing full well Lil's Jeep wouldn't make the jump that Wheatley was about to attempt. ATLAS backed up and decided to go another way. Wheatley revved the engine and made the motorcycle go as fast as it could. With the wind resistance not accounted for, Wheatley launched himself and the bike off a pile of rubble and flew to the other side of the bridge. He noted as he landed that the shocks on this motorcycle could take a lot of punishment.

Wheatley finally caught up to the bot, which looked like it was losing patience with Wheatley and the entire chase in general. It finally stopped right before the abandoned highway and wrapped Lil tightly with the metal arm. "WHEATLEY!" she shouted as the bot's grip became tighter.

"LET HER GO!" Wheatley shouted as he brandished his crowbar. The bot waited anxiously for the right moment to move. Before Wheatley could do anything, it darted out of the way and revealed a deserted gas station (Angie's secret place).

Wheatley jumped from the bike and rolled into a nearby tree. He covered himself as rubble from the crash launched everywhere. He thought he heard the Bot laugh evilly as it finally flew off, Lil screaming for Wheatley as it flew away. Wheatley stood up and straightened out his glasses. He could do nothing but watch as the Bot flew off into the wheat field.

Wheatley fell to his knees and watched as Lil and the bot got farther and farther away. Her screams echoed in the distance until Wheatley couldn't hear anything anymore. He stayed where he was until the Androids pulled up in Lil's jeep. Angie was the first to run up to Wheatley, who barely acknowledged the trio. "She's gone…" he murmured as Angie shook him. Wheatley finally snapped out of his trance and looked at the Androids, both sporting the same guilty look

"You knew all along, didn't you?" he snarled. ATLAS looked at P-Body, who nodded softly. P-Body chattered to Wheatley, trying to convince him that they weren't involved. "So, you knew she had something planned all along and you didn't bother to tell me? That's nice…Lil is gone now, by the way, in case you two were waiting for an emergency to tell me."

ATLAS chattered to Wheatley as well, though his chatter was angrier. "Well, I guess I can't blame you for being scared of GLaDOS…I never could have guessed she was capable of…this." Wheatley sighed and leaned against the tree. "I have no idea how I'm going to explain this to the neighbor." He mused as he looked over the smoldering remains of the motorcycle. Wheatley took off his glasses and cleaned them off. He thought about it for a moment and looked at his little group. "We're going after her."

The Androids looked at Wheatley with shock. ATLAS chattered angrily at Wheatley. "I know it's suicidal, but whatever GLaDOS has planned I know it's not good. We can't let Lil become some kind of lab rat. I know you two don't know what she really has planned, but it won't stop at Lil. Eventually she'll get tired of Lil and come after someone else. I know this is probably the most insane thing in the world, but we can't let her hurt Lil. I won't let her. I…I love her…"

Angie saw tears form in Wheatley's eyes as he tried to figure out a plan. Something in the back of Wheatley's head twitched and gave him an idea. "We can't go in through the shed in the field. She'll be expecting that. It's too obvious. We'll have to go in through the old building…"

The Androids looked at each other and then at Wheatley. "I…I think I remember where it is…"

ATLAS drove the Jeep down the broken deserted highway with Wheatley in the passenger seat. P-Body sat in the back with Angie, who tried to put on a brave face. Wheatley glanced back through the side view mirror and tried not to upset himself. He distracted himself with the task at hand. He wondered what was happening to Lil. He hated the thought of her being put through those horrible test chambers, just like her mother. Wheatley closed his eyes and tried not to think about it.

ATLAS shook Wheatley awake as he stopped the Jeep. Wheatley looked around as he got out of the Jeep. There it was: the old Aperture headquarters. It was as one story building built into the side of a mountain, possibly so no one would suspect the enrichment center deep below the surface. Wheatley looked around the desolate parking lot and tried his hardest to shake off the feeling of familiarity. He didn't want to see the phantoms again, but he couldn't help it. He watched as the phantoms parked their cars after being greeted by the man at the guard gate.

The building was as desolate as the parking lot, if not more. Windows broken, vegetation overgrowing everything, and some of the big letters on the front of the building were missing. Wheatley walked slowly toward the front door as the Androids helped Angie out of the Jeep. He placed his hand on the broken glass of the front door and sighed. He remembered the front desk lady and how she used to open the door for whoever needed to be buzzed in. Figuring that wasn't the case anymore, Wheatley kicked the glass in and started walking inside.

Phantoms of the office dwellers filled the room, giving Wheatley a horrible feeling. He knew the building was mostly a façade for the outside world and that the real stuff happened deeper down. He knew Aperture's paranoia forced the company to keep mostly everything underground. He looked over at the remains of the front desk and the phantom of the front desk girl waving her usually sunny hello to him. He fought back the urge to wave back at her and looked around. Wheatley knew this place better than he thought he did. He took a deep breath and looked at the Androids and Angie as they joined him. "Alright…" he sighed softly. "Let's go in…"

Wheatley looked at P-Body with a sharp look that she had never seen before. "P-Body, you're in charge of Tiny Human while we're here. I know bringing her here is a bad idea, but I can't very well take her back to the apartment. Seeing as it's mostly a pile of rubble and I don't know how long this will take. Even worse, GLaDOS might do another attack to get her as well. But let me tell you this: you look after her with your life. She is never to leave your side, no matter what."

Wheatley knelt down to Angie, who was trying to hold back scared tears. "Tiny Human, this place is dangerous. Normally, I would never have you do something like this, but I can't risk her coming back for you. So, listen to me very carefully. You'll have to do everything I say if we are to get Lil back. If I tell you to stay put, you stay put. If I tell you to run, you run. Is that understood?"

Angie had never seen Wheatley so serious in the time she had known him. Angie nodded and held on to him tightly. "Alright, now, stay close to me. All of you." Wheatley held Angie's hand tightly as they started walking deeper into the building. Wheatley knew there was an elevator that led to the main complex and now it was time for action. The Androids turned on the flashlights in their eyes and lit the way for Wheatley. P-Body threw her backpack on her shoulder and followed with ATLAS.

_Don't worry, Lil…_Wheatley thought as he stepped over the remains of the statue that used to adorn the entrance hall. _I'm coming, Love…we'll find you…_

* * *

><p>Lil awoke to the sound of soft mechanical humming. She didn't know how long she had been asleep but knew if she ever saw that bot that kidnapped her again, she'd tear it to shreds with her bare hands. Her vision was blurry for the moment but after a few blinks, Lil was able to see where she was. The room was completely white, except for the clear glass ceiling. The light was bright and almost blinded Lil as she looked up. The room was bare except for a weird looking bed, a small nightstand, and a toilet.<p>

It wasn't until she stood up that Lil noticed she was wearing something different. Her black turtle neck and jeans were gone, as were her boots. Lil was sporting an orange jumpsuit and some odd looking boots. Lil frantically looked around and felt herself. It was then she noticed her hair was in a ponytail. "What the…" she murmured as she felt the back of her head. Lil looked up at the bright light coming from the ceiling.

"Hello?" she shouted. No answer. "Hello, is anyone there?"

Lil heard nothing. She looked around and hoped she'd find some kind of answer. Instead, Lil found a clipboard on the small nightstand and looked at it.

_Name: McLain, Lillian Jane_

_Age: 21_

_Gender: Female_

Under that was a weird chart that she couldn't make out. Math was never Lil's strong suite. Lil kept looking through each page of the clipboard, finding the contents shockingly accurate; as if someone had been watching her more closely than she had been watching herself. Inside the packet, each graph was accompanied by pictures of Lil as if taken by a spy camera. Some were of her doing regular things, such as tending to the store or doing her morning aerobics in the living room. Though some were more intimate, like her getting dressed or of her during her most intimate alone time.

Lil threw down the clipboard and tried to hold back the frightened tears. She frantically searched the room for any clue as to where she was. In the nightstand drawer she found a rather old looking packet. The corners were crumpled and there was dust on it.

Lil's eyes widened as she read the packet. The picture on the front was her mother. "Mom?" she whimpered as she touched the picture with her fingertips. The packet contained more graphs and other frightening revelations that Lil hoped she'd never know about her mother. The pictures weren't the women she knew as her mother. The woman staring back at her in these pictures had a cold stare that pierced Lil's very heart. She remembered her mother having a loving smile and warm eyes.

Believing she heard a noise, Lil dropped the packet and looked around. "Hello?" she yelled into the ceiling. "Hello, is anywhere there? I don't know where I am!" she shouted. She heard a clicking sound coming from the ceiling and felt the room she was in move, as if it were on a track. "Hello? Please let me out!" she shouted.

"_Hello, and welcome _**[Lil] **_to the Aperture Science Computer Aided Enrichment Center."_ said a voice overhead. Lil looked around trying to find the source of the voice. _"I do hope your brief time in the relaxation vault has been pleasant. We wouldn't want the guest of honor to be uncomfortable."_

"Who are you?" Lil shouted at the ceiling. "Where am I? Why am I here?"

"_All very valid questions that will be answered in due time…but first…"_ the room came to a halt and the walls came down, revealing a dark chamber. Lil felt around and noted the walls were replaced with glass. _"Oh my god…you look exactly…"_

The voice was choked up at the sight of Lil. Lil turned around, trying to find another source of light. The room was too dark for her to see anything. She thought she could barely make out something moving in the foreground, but all her squinting didn't help.

"_So, she spawned you and the small one…pity I couldn't get a hold of the small one as well. Both of you would have made excellent specimens. Don't worry; I've dealt with the Bot personally. He's being…recycled for other uses that you need not worry about."_

The lights came on and revealed GLaDOS staring straight at Lil. Lil screamed with everything she had at the giant machine's yellow optic glaring at her. "What…what are you?" Lil asked frantically.

GLaDOS coiled around the glass box that housed Lil and observed her closely. "Oh, Yes…you'll do perfectly." GLaDOS mused. "I thought everything was ruined. Your mother was a selfish woman. Having to up and die like that without thinking of whom she was hurting and whose plans she was disrupting. But all that changed when the idiot found you."

Lil was speechless. She felt the glass box start to move again. "We'll begin testing tomorrow after you've had a good night's sleep. I need you to do your best on these tests. Failure is not an option. Refusal to do the tests will result in termination. I have to see if you're…perfect…"

Lil banged her fists against the glass as the track took her away. "Go to sleep, go to sleep…" GLaDOS sang as she flooded Lil's glass box with a strange fog. Lil tried to keep her eyes open, but found herself falling asleep on the floor of the box. "We will see if you're…what I need to finish my plans…"

GLaDOS watched as the glass box left her chamber for parts unknown. If she had a mouth, GLaDOS would be smiling ear to ear (provided she had ears to go with said mouth). "Soon, everything will be ready. But I have to see if she is what I need. If she is anything like her mother, than she should do perfectly. I wonder if she knows she'll never be as trim as her mother. No matter, those hips look roomy enough…"

"This feels good…" she mused as she coiled around her chamber. "I have my best friend back…or the closest alternative anyway. The world won't see us coming…"

* * *

><p><strong>N'cha, my lovelies!<strong>

**This chapter took a little more out of me than I want to admit. Action sequences are a bit of a challenge for me, so I kept editing and editing until I believe I got it right. Personally, my action scenes tend to come up as a little dry, so if it seems that way, just let me know and I'll fix it. The motorcycle that Wheatley borrows is a real motorcycle and though I don't usually go for "Crotch Rockets", the Kawasaki Ninja is just too sexy a bike to pass up.**

**So, can anyone guess what GLaDOS really has planned? If so, you are awarded 100 awesome points and a +10 scroll of nerdiness. What is she really up to? I'm not telling! You'll just have to read and find out!**

**My plans for the rest of the story are pretty linear, I am ashamed to say, but I have a lot planned so don't worry. Expect more flashbacks, but this time from Wheatley's time at the facility before and after Pam and a few from his time as a core. Excited? So am I lol. **

**So, here it is. Chapter 20. And with this, I take my short hiatus to finish up my other fic. Go check it out while you still can (shameless self-promotion haha)**

**Once again, I want to thank everyone for the awesome response to Chapter 19. I didn't think I could write something that equaled Chapter 12 but I guess I showed myself lol. My rule of thumb: never try to top yourself, it always ends badly. So, I never try to top anything I do. I just like to go with the flow. Your support and reviews keep this story going strong. When I feel my worst, I read the kind words in your reviews and it keeps me going. You guys are the reason I write and I thank all of you for your kindness and friendship.**

**So, review and be merry, my friends. I enjoy criticism but prefer positive (like anyone else lol).**

**GLaDOS, Wheatley, ATLAS and P-Body belong to Valve.**


	21. Come Out and Play

_Reconstructing Humanity_

Come Out and Play

Lil's eyes fluttered as the mechanical humming woke her up. She didn't know if she wanted to open her eyes or not. In her mind, the place was a bad dream. Lil was hoping that when she opened her eyes, she'd be back in her apartment in her big bed. She was hoping the dinging noise she was hearing was her alarm clock telling her it's time to get up and get Angie ready for school. Lil was hoping that she'd wake up and everything would be normal. She wouldn't be trapped in a clear box or wearing odd boots or an orange jumpsuit.

No, this was all a bad dream. Being kidnapped and taken to this place was all a very bad dream. It just had to be. She knew she'd wake up soon to hear Angie and Wheatley arguing over the toy prize in the bottom of the cereal box with the brightly colored sugary pieces of Styrofoam the food industry often claimed were marshmallows. Lil knew she'd wake up to the sound of Angie's annoying cartoons that Wheatley seemed to enjoy more than Angie. This little flicker of hope Lil had made her open her eyes.

She didn't see her apartment. She didn't see P-Body handing her a cup of coffee or ATLAS pretending to read the newspaper. She didn't see Wheatley greet her with his usual goofy grin or Angie putting her school uniform on. No, all she saw was clear glass walls. Lil sat up slowly and rubbed her head.

Wherever her glass box was, it was dark. Lil wasn't sure what time it was or how long she had been asleep. She assumed the weird fog from before was some type of sleeping gas because she wasn't dead. "Okay, Lil…" she murmured as she stood up. "Just stay calm. You have to stay calm." She kept murmuring to herself. "Granted, I have no idea where I am or what's going on. The important thing is to not panic. I'm sure whatever it is that took you can sense fear…" Lil rubbed her head and looked around.

"You know, they say talking to yourself is a sign of deeper anxiety." said a frighteningly familiar voice. Lil looked around and leaned against the odd bed. It was the same voice as before, the one that belonged to the horrifying machine with the yellow eye. "What is troubling you, Test Subject? You can talk to me, I won't hurt you. I can't promise the events planned for today won't, though." Lil could swear she heard the voice cackle a bit. Lil looked around, trying to figure out where she was. Outside the clear box was nothing but darkness. For all she knew she was probably in a basement or deep underground. Both assumptions would be semi-right.

"Defiant…just like your mother was. You know, she caused me quite a bit of grief. But even she acknowledged my existence. Now, Test Subject, talk. What is troubling you?" the voice was insistent.

Lil balled up her fists and looked at the ceiling. "Where do I begin, Omnipotent Voice?" Lil yelled. "My home is in ruins like most of the city I'm sure; I've been kidnapped by a crazed robot, and when I wake up I discover I'm in a box wearing different clothes! What's worse, I have no idea what's happened to my sister or my…" Lil stopped herself.

"Or your what, Test Subject?" asked the voice.

Lil blushed and looked away. Though, she wasn't sure what she was looking away from. "You and that Idiot…ha ha ha…I know the nature of your relationship with the former Intelligence Dampening Sphere. I know a lot of things, Test Subject." the voice's sarcastic laughter caught Lil's attention. She wasn't sure what the voice meant by "Intelligence Dampening Sphere", though.

"He's not an idiot…he just…lacks common sense and things just go over his head…" Lil defended.

"So, he is an idiot then? Because what you just described was an idiot." said the voice as the box started to move again. "You're in love with an idiot. You had relations with an idiot. If I hadn't taken you, you would have more than likely married that idiot and made tinier idiots. You're probably carrying one of his idiot spawn right now."

Lil blushed with a terrified look on her face, placing her hands on her lower stomach. "And they alone will bring down the already low learning curve of **[SUBJECT HOMETOWN HERE]**. No matter, though. We'll take care of it if that is the case. I doubt it, though. He's too stupid to do something that convoluted. You don't show any of the signs. Of course, it is hard to tell with your body structure. So lumpy compared to your mother. She wasn't a supermodel, but at least she kept herself in shape. Look at you; your posterior is…"

"Okay, I'm a little chubby, thank you!" shouted Lil, covering her behind. The voice went silent for a moment. "Now, who are you? Why am I here? Why did you kidnap me? I'm sure it wasn't to insult my body structure or my taste in men or compare me to my mother because I already have a lot of people doing that back home! Now, if we're done, let me go!" Nothing but silence. Lil sighed and sat on her weird bed. "I should have known it wouldn't be that easy. Things rarely are for me." Lil murmured. "Well, if you aren't going to let me go, at least tell me your name. I think I have at least that right to know who's keeping me here."

Lil would get no such satisfaction. She only heard the buzzing of the lights and the mechanical hum of the surroundings. Lil looked around her glass box again and sighed. She gripped the side of her bed tightly, trying not to lose her cool. It was impossible, seeing as she was trapped in a box. Lil's patience with the voice and the prolonged silence was already thin. "Look, tell me who you are! I'm not doing anything until you tell me who you are and why you brought me here!" Lil shouted to the ceiling.

"You aren't exactly in a position to make demands, Test Subject." said the voice after a prolonged silence. The voice sounded angry and Lil could almost feel the seething anger resonating from the speakers. "Let's get a few things straight before we begin our sitcom-esque partnership. You are not going anywhere unless I say so. You belong to me, just as she did. You will do what you are told without question. Any form of resistance will result in punishment. Refusal to do the tests will result in termination. If you are what I need, I will keep you. If not, then I will kill you and find another. Your sister looks like she could grow into a fine replacement…"

Lil looked up at the ceiling as her clear box room came to a stop. "You leave Angie out of this!" Lil shouted.

"Then we have an agreement, Test Subject?" the voice asked again. Lil sighed and nodded.

Lil wasn't one to give up easily, but seeing as she was in a clear box in an unknown location at the moment, she didn't have any other options. Lil relented and hung her head. "Yes, I'll do as you say just…just don't harm my sister. Or Wheatley or the Androids. They have nothing to do with this; it's obviously me you want. I'll do as you say."

A dinging noise came over the loud speaker as Lil's box docked and one side of the box opened. "Oh, they have more to do with this than you know, Test Subject. But we'll save that for a later time. Today, your testing begins and I see if you are what I hope you are. If you are, I have big plans for you. I originally planned it for your mother, but seeing as she had to die like the selfish brat she was, I had to mess with my plans a bit to fit you. But you should be honored. Now…"

The room lit up and Lil found herself facing another wall. This time, there was a panel in the wall just below what looked like a timer. "I have to finish getting this first test ready for you. It's been so long since I've prepared a beginner's test, it's almost…" the voice sounded choked up. Lil was a bit creeped out but it. "You might want to finish your rest. It will be a bit before it is ready. The relaxation bed is timed along with the timer on the wall. It will wake you up a minute before the test begins. If you don't want to sleep, then you have plenty of reading material in the nightstand."

Lil looked around and sighed. She had no other choice. Whatever this thing wanted, Lil had no choice but to do it. She didn't know where Wheatley and Angie or the Androids were, she just hoped they were safe. Lil leaned against the weird bed and sat on the floor.

She looked up at the ceiling and tried not to cry. "Wheatley…Angie…please be safe…"

_Meanwhile, Miles Above_

"Shine a light over here!" shouted Wheatley, moving debris out of the way. It took a bit of trial and error, but Wheatley had led the group down the right hallway finally. ATLAS and P-Body had their eye flashlights on as they meandered around the long abandoned building.

Angie stayed close to Wheatley as he kicked and pulled debris out of the way. "Mr. Wheatley, where are we going?" she finally asked after keeping quiet.

Wheatley looked down at the scared child and sighed. "I don't know if I can tell you this in a way you'll understand, Tiny Human, but I'll try my hardest." Wheatley cleared his throat and let ATLAS take over debris removal for now. "Tiny Human, this old building is where someone very bad took Lil. It's up to us to get her back. Now, deep below this building is a place that is very dangerous. Normally, I would never, ever, EVER take you to somewhere that dangerous, but we're out of options. So, just stay close to me. If I'm right, there should be a lift or something around here to take us to the real complex."

Angie wasn't sure what Wheatley was talking about, but she nodded anyway. Wheatley looked up as ATLAS chattered something. Wheatley translated it as "Look out!" and grabbed Angie before dodging a giant piece of fallen ceiling that ATLAS hurled in their direction. "You could have killed us, you bloody maniac!" Wheatley shouted, putting Angie down.

ATLAS pointed down a hallway excitedly. Wheatley squinted and smiled. "Good, we are going in the right direction. There is an elevator that can take us to the real facility, but it's took risky, so that's out of the question. I think there were some offices around here with a maintenance area entrance. " Wheatley decided to lead the way down the all too familiar hallway. He felt he had done this millions of times before and watched as the phantoms of another time walked around as well. People in suits and lab coats all around him talking or going about their business, not realizing they were ghosts. Wheatley wondered if he was the only was seeing them.

The hallway was longer than he remembered (or thought he remembered anyway). Wheatley looked forward the entire time, fighting back an urge to run toward the elevator, as if he were late for something. He thought he heard running and moved to the side. He watched as a phantom of himself ran as fast as he could toward the end of the hall. Wheatley stopped and blinked. ATLAS urged him on.

A little ways ahead, Wheatley saw a sliding double doorway that said "Office Personnel Only". He wasn't surprised to see some of the paint from those letters chipping off. Vegetation looked like it was attempting to claim these offices, but Wheatley figured GLaDOS's constant reconstruction was keeping any new plants from growing. Though he wasn't really surprised by the crumbling walls, the building had indeed seen better days. "The labs were below ground, mostly to keep the public from knowing the truth. This building was a front. Offices and such, to keep prying eyes happy, I guess."

Wheatley wasn't surprised to see the door wasn't working. P-Body walked in front of them and yanked a panel off the wall. She chattered something to Wheatley and started playing with the wires in the wall. "She said there might be a slight chance GLaDOS can sense us messing around up here. Though pretty unlikely, but we still need to keep caution. Just because she's ignored the above offices for years doesn't mean she won't be on the lookout for us."

Angie watched as P-Body worked her magic. "Now, somewhere around here there should be a maintenance entrance. A utility closet or something of that nature. We'll need to find it." Wheatley finished his sentence just as the doors groaned and slid open. "Brilliant, Love!" Wheatley shouted happily as P-Body smiled over her handy work. ATLAS did a quick scan of the floor and noted that it was safe.

P-Body held Angie's hand tightly as they looked around the dark office. Wheatley broke off from the group and started strolling down a separate hallway. He recognized this area as the executive hallway and the phantoms went from normal office dwellers to fine suited executives. The doorway at the end of the hall looked like one he had walked into plenty of times before. The nameplate was missing, but he knew exactly where he was…

_This chair seemed to be Wheatley's best friend. He had been to this office countless times and sat on the opposite side of the desk more than he'd like to remember. Wheatley noted in his head that when someone tells you not to press something, you DO NOT PRESS IT. The clean-up crew wearing gas masks and the coughing employees were testament to that now. This wasn't the first time his curiosity had gotten him into trouble and one could bet it wouldn't be the last. Wheatley bet he had sat in this chair more times than any visiting investor (or investigator, whatever the occasion called for)._

_Beside the desk was a hallowed out companion cube with a hole in the front. Inside, a sleeping dog whined and tried to make itself comfortable. Wheatley didn't like the long waits in Caroline's office. He especially didn't like her dog that she just had to keep in her office with her. Every time Wheatley went into her office for whatever reason, the dog attacked him (to his knowledge, he was the only one the dog would attack). Nothing too damaging, though Wheatley often left the office with half a pant leg missing._

_Today, the dog was sleeping so he might have had a glimmer of hope. Wheatley often wondered if the dog picked up on Caroline's emotions, as he would bark loudly if she was mad or became a whining sweetheart when she was feeling good. He stopped wondering that when he heard the office door open slowly and Miss Caroline's heels tapping on the floor. She seemed to be talking to someone wearing a haz-mat mask. "Yes, thank you very much for your help with the clean-up. We'll send your checks to the usual place."_

_Wheatley swallowed hard and played with his tie. He wondered if everyone else knew this was his fault. He constantly wondered how Caroline always knew. Caroline walked slowly to her desk and sat down after plopping a file on her already overloaded desk. Despite everything, Caroline was always organized._

"_Now, Mr. Pendleton, no one is blaming you for accidently pressing the experimental emergency neurotoxin release button." Caroline started. "Now we know not to keep it in such a convenient location. So, the bright side of all of this is the experiment was a success. Since you're technically still in our systems as an intern, you legally can't be held responsible for any of the aftermath. We're just thankful you helped get everyone out of the labs before any permanent damage could be done."_

_Wheatley swallowed hard and nodded as Caroline continued. "Mr. Johnson would prefer not to write up this accident in the reports because we have to send those to the federal offices. If they saw something like this, not only would it be our jobs, but it'd be your head, Mr. Pendleton. I still have to put it in your file, though; for future reference." That last statement frightened Wheatley enough to rub his neck. "So, be sure to keep your head out of the clouds, Mr. Pendleton. You won't be an intern in our systems much longer."_

_Caroline noted that Wheatley only nodded. Usually, he tried to defend himself with mindless chatter. Caroline sighed softly and got up. Call it women's intuition, but Caroline could sense this little SNAFU wasn't what was occupying Wheatley's thoughts. She had heard the news and even cleared the papers for his emergency leave. But having known grief herself, Caroline knew it was an unpleasant feeling. She would be lying if she told anyone she didn't miss the happy-go-lucky, inane bantering, always smiling Wheatley._

_She walked over to Wheatley and placed her hand on his shoulder. "Mr. Pendleton, I know things have been hard for you since your girlfriend died, but things will look up soon. She'd be proud of you today and every day for all that you've done to help us here at Aperture. Just remember, if you need anyone to talk to, my door is always open for you."_

_Just hearing Caroline say that made Wheatley smile, which was probably the first proper smile he's made in a while. He knew Caroline was sincere, and not just because she doubled as the company grief counselor. Wheatley nodded his thank you as Caroline patted his shoulder. _

"_I'll write up the report and file it away. After that, you can get back to your desk. No one needs to know it was you who pressed the button. I won't tell Mr. Johnson, I promise." As Caroline started for her desk again, she heard Wheatley yelp and a growling noise on the floor. Her dog had Wheatley's pant leg again. "Buddy! No! Bad dog!" _

Wheatley felt himself fighting the urge to open the office door. His hand trembled as he reached for the door knob. The thought of Miss Caroline's dog attacking his leg the moment he opened the door went through his mind and he immediately retracted his hand. Wheatley slowly backed away from the Executive Hallway and rejoined the others.

"Mr. Wheatley, is this what you were talking about?" Angie shouted, pointing to a door with a sign on it.

Wheatley wondered over and looked at the door. "Maintenance area…" Wheatley read. "Yes, this is it. From here, we can get down to the labs without being noticed. Lil will be around there somewhere and we'll find her."

Something twitched in the Android's heads. It sounded like a radio signal was trying to get through. Before Wheatley could open the door, ATLAS smacked his hand. "What the bloody Hell was that for?" he shouted, rubbing his hand. ATLAS chattered something and pointed to the door. "Going the wrong way? What do you mean going the wrong way? How would you know that?"

This time, P-Body chimed in with her mechanical chirping. "Find the Mad Hatter?" Wheatley translated.

Angie smiled wide and clapped her hands. "I like that story." She giggled.

"What story?" asked Wheatley, turning to face the giggling child.

"Alice in Wonderland! Lil reads it to me all the time. The Mad Hatter is a character in the book. He wears a funny hat and talks funny too!" Wheatley cocked an eyebrow at the child's rambling and then turned back to the Androids.

"Alright, what is everyone talking about?" Wheatley demanded.

P-Body made a sighing motion and took her backpack off. She unzipped it and took out Wheatley's radio. "So that's where that went." Wheatley muttered. P-Body turned it on and played with the knobs. "Sorry, Love, but it's broken. Besides, now's not the time to listen to music, we're searching for a way to get to Lil!"

ATLAS chattered something to Wheatley (which could be translated as "Shut up, you idiot!") and let P-Body finish what she was doing. P-Body finally found the station she was looking for, which seemed to play a jaunty tune that sounded like elevator music. P-Body brought the radio closer to the door. The music was abruptly silenced by static. She took it away from the door and the music started up again. "How did you fix it?" Wheatley asked, somewhat amazed. P-Body chattered something and started walking out of the offices and toward the hallway again. ATLAS and Angie followed. Wheatley shrugged and did the same.

The radio played the same song for a good long while as the little posse followed its trail. P-Body would hold it up in front of her and go in the direction it told her to go in. Each turn down each hallway made the music on the radio become louder. Wheatley didn't have much to say on the matter, as the Androids seemed to know what they were doing.

Each hallway they passed by brought more memories to Wheatley. He tried his hardest to ignore the phantoms of former employees going about their business and tried to focus on finding Lil. The music in the radio became louder as the approached a broken elevator. The elevator itself made the radio excrete loud static, but when P-Body turned right toward a small hallway with a door at the end, Wheatley smiled softly. The door was a regular door with a handle, unlike the other sliding doors. P-Body pointed to the door excitedly.

"This must be where she wants us to go!" Angie shouted happily. Wheatley shushed her and knelt down again. "We're getting close; you'll have to keep quiet. The maintenance areas are secluded from what I remember, but they are still hazardous. Everyone stay close together."

Wheatley barely had to touch the door before it fell over. The hinges had long rusted to the point of giving up. ATLAS put the door back up and followed as everyone walked inside. Looking up, Wheatley saw something all too familiar that almost brought a tear to his eye. The management rail was still intact and looked like it had been used recently. Wheatley just stared at it and smiled, thinking about a simpler time when he was nothing but a metal ball on a rail and how happy he was. Or at least thought he was. A vision of himself as a little metal ball happily zooming across on the rail flashed before him and made him dizzy.

Wheatley leaned against the wall of the maintenance area and rubbed his head. That vision hurt his head a bit. "Mr. Wheatley, come on!" shouted Angie. Wheatley regained his composure and followed, rubbing his head in confusion. When Wheatley caught up, he found P-Body hitting the radio with her balled up fist. It was either malfunctioning or they weren't getting a signal anymore.

Either way, P-Body chattered that she didn't have her tools to find the problem. Wheatley looked up and smiled. "Follow the rails…" he said happily, taking charge of the group once again.

The group continued their walk through the maintenance shaft, dodging flying projectiles from broken transport tubes and being extra mindful of turrets. Angie, now being carried on P-Body's back on top of the back pack, looked up as they went deeper. She seemed amazed at the complex as walls above shifted to make new test chambers. Wheatley motioned for them to stop as he peered around a corner. "Alright, we are under the test chamber assembly, which means the factory entrance is right around here somewhere. That means the Enrichment Center entrance is on the other side of it."

ATLAS and P-Body weren't sure where this new attitude or information was coming from. To them, Wheatley was an idiot who had gotten lucky a few times, but now he actually seemed to know what he was doing and what he was talking about. P-Body whisper chattered to ATLAS that is was scary, to which ATLAS only nodded.

Wheatley motioned for the group to follow him as soon as he decided the coast was clear. All they seemed to do was walk. While Angie was hoping for more action, P-Body shushed the child's bored whining. Wheatley tried to focus on the task at hand, but as the test chamber pieces zoomed by on tracks next to the walkway, all he could think about was Lil, and what she was probably being forced to do. It angered him to the point where he made himself keep going.

After what seemed like an eternity, they reached a door at the end of one of the walkways. "Factory entrance…here we are." Wheatley said softly. The door was a simple push door that didn't look too threatening, but if anyone knew the Aperture Facility, it was the Androids. ATLAS volunteered and slowly pushed open the door. He looked inside and nodded to the rest, motioning that it was safe.

The group made it up to an observation room overlooking the turret redemption line. Wheatley wasn't sure what made the Androids want to come up here, but he figured since they knew the facility pretty well, their judgment on where was safe and where it wasn't safe was best. "Now what?" Angie asked, as she spun around in an office chair near a computer console. P-Body chattered something as ATLAS pondered the computer monitors nearby. "What do you mean by 'wait for the Mad Hatter'?" asked Wheatley. ATLAS chattered something and pointed to the computer console. "You say you have a contact in here that can help us? And you call him the Mad Hatter? Well, I've heard crazier, but it's the only lead we have. Alright, you three stay here."

The Androids looked at each other and then at Wheatley. ATLAS chattered something angrily. "I'm going to get Lil; where else would I be going? And no, you can't come with me." Wheatley answered as he looked out the window of the observation room. "I need you two here to protect Tiny Human in case of an emergency. I'll be getting too close to…to _HER_ for Tiny Human to be safe. I'll bring Lil back and then we'll all leave the way we came in. She can't touch us here in the factory, but she's surprised me before…believe me, she's very capable."

Wheatley walked over to Angie, who had hopped off the chair as Wheatley walked up. "Tiny Human, I need you to be a good girl and stay with Mr. ATLAS and Miss P-Body, is that understood?" Angie nodded as Wheatley bent down to give her a big hug. "I'll be back as soon as I can. I won't come back without Lil, I promise."

As Wheatley stood up, he heard glass break. He turned around to find P-Body handing him a walky-talky. She chattered something and pointed to the emergency case on the wall and then to the walky-talky in Wheatley's hand. "Ahh, those Aperture blokes were always prepared, weren't they?" Wheatley chuckled. P-Body looked away nervously. "I know, bad joke. Alright, setting the frequency…and there. I'll keep in touch and let you lot know when I find Lil. Keep Tiny Human safe."

As Wheatley left the observation room, the computer monitors started to flicker. No longer showing the Aperture logo, but instead a heart like one would see on a Weighted Companion Cube. ATLAS saw this and pointed it out to P-Body. P-Body sat at the console and opened her back pack. She took out a cable and attached it to the prong on the back of her neck. She plugged herself in and smiled as the words "SECURED FEED ESTABLISHED" flashed on the screen. P-Body told ATLAS to man the walky-talky as she attempted to get into contact with "The Mad Hatter".

Wheatley walked along the pathway, trying to keep his steps quiet. He didn't know what was lying around each corner, so he kept his strides slow and quiet. He knew this was suicidal, and he knew only bad things could come if GLaDOS discovered him here. He might be captured and put into testing. Or worse, put back into a Construct. Or worse than that, killed. He didn't like any of those options, so he kept himself well paced. The humming of the transport tubes gave him a sense of calm dread. He didn't see any of the gels going through them, which made him sigh in relief. He figured GLaDOS stopped using them for whatever reason.

He knew if he went straight into the facility, GLaDOS would find him in a heartbeat, probably less. He had to stick to the factory stairwells and maintenance areas for now. Wheatley walked along the walkway for what seemed like an eternity. Like the transport tubes, the walkways could go anywhere, so how close he was to Lil was a mystery. He looked up and watched as the components for the test chambers assembled and flew off to parts unknown. He soon found himself at a platform next to yet another dead end.

"How did I do this the first time?" he sighed to himself. Wheatley glanced up slowly and noted the management rail. "Oh, right…" he muttered as he leaned against the railing of the walkway. "Alright…you can do this, Wheatley. Lil is counting on you. Do it for her!" Wheatley shouted as he looked up. He could see the vastness of the entire factory, tubes going every which way carrying turrets or cubes or even random trash. The possibilities were literally endless. "I have no idea what I'm doing…"

Wheatley took out his walky-talky and attempted to make contact with the Androids. "ATLAS, P-Body…Tiny Human?" he shouted into the walky-talky. Nothing but static. He hated the static sound, be it on the walky-talky, on the television at home, or at one point in time in his head.

In frustration, Wheatley threw the walky-talky toward a wall and watched it bounce off. Wheatley rubbed his forehead softly. "Oh Lil…" he muttered as he sank to the ground. "I have no idea what I'm doing." He muttered as he accidently kicked the walky-talky a few inches more. As he did that, the static turned to music. Wheatley looked up from his self-loathing and crawled over to the device. He picked it up and brought it closer to him. Static erupted from the device. Wheatley pointed it in all directions but found that it only sang when it was up against the wall in front of him.

Not bothering to look for a door, Wheatley kicked in the surprisingly fragile wall and crawled into the space behind it. Inside was a small room with markings on the wall. He looked over and noticed a small hallway but his curiosity peaked when he saw a painting of what looked like Lil.

The mural on the wall depicted what Wheatley could only assume was a tea party. The crudely drawn table was empty save for a few chairs. Above the table were the words "DON'T BE LATE" with a heart beside it. Beside the heart was an arrow pointing down the hallway. He followed the arrow, which lead to another arrow and another and so on and so forth until Wheatley reached another room. This one had a door in it, but it seemed to be stuck. As Wheatley attempted to open the door, the mural on the wall of this room caught his eye.

The painting was of Lil (he assumed so, anyway) lying down in a sleeping position. The other was of GLaDOS (a bit crudely drawn but still recognizable) and two red arrows in between them, one pointing to GLaDOS and one to Lil. Wheatley cocked his eyebrow and with a bit of force, finally got the door open. Wheatley only opened it slightly, not knowing where the door led. He was surprised to see it led right into the facility; to a test chamber observation area, no less. Wheatley slammed the door shut and sat against it.

If he walked right into the facility, she'd find him. But the fact that it was an Observation Office gave him a better chance of sneaking around. Wheatley decided it was now or never. Lil was close; something in his heart told him so. Wheatley took a deep breath and opened the door, slipping through and making a mad dash into the facility.

_Meanwhile_

Lil sat against the wall of the elevator, trying her hardest not to cry. She had been put into testing a few hours before and already her body ached. Most of the test chambers were simple: retrieve block, put block on button, and dodge photon, "_DING!", _and then elevator. Of course, the last test was a little tougher than she thought it would be. Lil loved puzzle games as a child and was good at them, but this was like being inside one and though Lil did surprisingly well, she still frustrated and scared her.

For once, it wasn't a maze to get the overly happy bunny to his patch of carrots. These mazes were specially made by whatever that machine was from earlier to test her sanity. Lil felt her stomach turn as the elevator zoomed up toward the next testing track. Lil always hated elevators, but never knew herself to become motion sick. _First time for everything_ she thought as the elevator came to a complete stop. Maybe it was the gravity of the situation that was making her sick. Lil remembered getting horribly sick whenever she was nervous as a child. What a time for that to reemerge.

"For this next test, I had to dig up an old toy. Your mother used to play with it all the time. Well, hers was blown into space, but this one is the same model. Think of it as a gift…from me to you." The voiced taunted as Lil disembarked from the elevator. Lil made her way up the small set of stairs and let the automatic doors open. The room was dark with the only light in it coming from the ceiling, shining down on a pedestal. On the pedestal was an odd looking gun.

Lil approached it slowly and looked around. "This is a trap…" she muttered. "This is so obviously a trap, it's almost hilarious. If this were any more obvious a trap, there would be a neon sign hanging overhead flashing the words 'THIS IS A TRAP' brightly."

Lil waited for a rebuttal from the voice. She didn't have to wait long. "No trap, Test Subject. It is a gift. I took care of your mother, and now I'm going to take care of you." The voice sounded oddly sweet. Even so, Lil was still apprehensive about approaching the device. Lil slowly picked it off the pedestal and slipped her hand into the gun. Doing this seemed to automatically turn the gun on.

"Congratulations, Test Subject. You are now the proud owner of an Aperture Science Dual Portal Device. With it you can create portals." said the voice again. The room lit up revealing nothing but white walls. No hazards, no mazes, just a big room with white walls. There was a platform that led to the already open door on the opposite side of the chamber, but other than that, nothing but white walls. "These intra-dimensional gates have proven to be completely safe. The Device, however, has not. Do not touch the operational end of The Device. Do not look directly at the operational end of The Device. Do not submerge The Device in liquid, even partially. Most importantly, under no circumstances should you…"

Lil didn't hear the last part of the Voice's sentence. Something in the far left wall made a loud banging sound. Lil cocked an eye brow and started making her way toward the wall. "What are you doing? You were instructed to test out the device." shouted the Voice. Lil noted the eagerness of the Voice and decided making the Omnipotent Voice mad was probably a bad idea. Lil found the device quite heavy and it took some effort to hold properly. Finding the trigger, Lil shot at a nearby wall. The force of the shot sent her back a bit.

After regaining her composure, Lil looked up and saw a blue hole on the wall that wasn't there before. "Fire it again at another location." said the Voice. Lil did just that and an orange hole opened up a little ways away from the blue one. Lil couldn't believe what she was seeing. Lil stuck her arm in and watched it come through the other hole.

Lil retracted her hand fast and felt the outer rim of the blue portal in front of her. "How is this…possible?" she murmured as she stuck her hand through it again. He remembered seeing the same thing when she started the tests from her glass box, but figured it was some sort of illusion. But now, she had a gun that made these holes. If she wasn't terrified for her life, she'd be more fascinated.

Taking a deep breath, Lil jumped through the portal and out the other one. Painless, yes, but still unbelievable to Lil. Lil shot a blue portal at a higher wall and ran through the orange one. Lil flung herself to a higher elevation and soon found herself falling. Lil glanced up momentarily and thought she saw a wall panel open. Lil squinted and thought she saw a face staring at her.

Lil landed gracefully on the floor thanks to the boots she was wearing. The long fall boots bounced Lil softly to a safe position. Lil couldn't help but try and balance on the heels a bit. "Stop playing with the boots. It's time for the next test." shouted the Voice again.

Holding the gun with both hands, Lil started walking toward the elevator. She glanced up one more time, hoping what she saw was real. The panel she thought she saw open was now closed. Lil shook her head and sighed softly. She didn't know how long she had been doing these tests, but she felt it was already starting to get to her.

"I'll be adding this to your file." Lil heard typing noises over the loud speaker. "Can't…follow…simple…instructions…" the Voice read softly as Lil boarded the elevator. "Like mother like daughter, I guess." The Voice mocked as the elevator doors closed. "Don't feel too bad, test subject. No one gets it right the first time. This is why we're going to keep going…and going…and going until you do. You will be perfect. I have too much time and planning invested…"

Lil noted the Voice was starting to sound desperate. Lil was getting increasingly anxious herself. She didn't know what that Voice wanted, but Lil knew it wasn't good.

Wheatley replaced the ceiling panel and started running again. He didn't have much time. He knew that once the handheld portal device was reached, it was only a matter of time before GLaDOS unleashed something horrible on Lil. He followed through each test, watching as Lil masterfully conquered each challenge with great ease. Some took a little more time to do, but others seemed to breeze past her.

Watching from above mostly, Wheatley kept his eye on Lil as she tested. He'd be lying if he told anyone he wasn't slightly aroused by watching Lil move around and sweat like that. Running around, having to unzip the top part of her jumpsuit and tie it around her waist to cool off. Sweat pouring down her delicate face, with her eyes filled with terror but being replaced promptly with triumph. Wheatley sighed softly and watched as Lil ran, walked, and even a few times slid around each hazard. Especially when she jumped and her breasts and behind jiggled…

"No, snap out of it!" Wheatley shouted to himself, smacking his face a bit. "No time for distractions." Wheatley decided to run ahead, hoping to get ahead of what was to come.

When he reached a good point where he felt Lil would be soon, he took his walky-talky and started playing with the systems of the test chamber. He had a plan, but whether or not it would work was a different story. When Wheatley heard the chatter of the Androids on the other end on the walky-talky, Wheatley knew it was now or never. "You say everything is ready? You found your contact?" he asked into the device softly as he played with a control panel. The reassuring chatter made Wheatley smile. "Alright…you two stay there with Tiny Human…I'll be back soon enough."

Turning a knob on the walky-talky to the off position, Wheatley started playing with the control mechanisms of the test chamber. He didn't have much time, so he had to work from memory, which was shaky at best. Though not sure how he accomplished it as a core, he knew he had a bigger advantage as a human, what with having arms and such.

A few chambers later, Lil staggered out of the elevator, breathless. The last test was with turrets and it nearly killed her. So far, each test seemed more sadistic than the last. While she didn't want to admit the tests with the so called "Aerial Faith Plates" was actually pretty fun, the Hard Light Bridges and the Excursion Tunnels made Lil question everything she had learned in every science class she had attended. In her mind, she reasoned that stuff like this couldn't and probably shouldn't exist. She came across that reasoning after she almost singed her hair off falling on a Hard Light Bridge.

As if burning her hair off and suffering countless injuries wasn't enough, Lil was reprimanded by the Voice for not being as athletic as her mother. "The way that layer of gelatin on your posterior jiggles is almost hypnotizing." said the Voice as Lil propped herself against the stairs leading to the new test chamber. "I thought your mother was fat, but you just won the "Fattest Test Subject" award. Your award is cake. Do you like cake? I can tell you do. Fatty likes cake. Chocolate cake with cherries on top."

Lil gritted her teeth and propped herself up. "Alright, I get it. I'm a little chubby. Big funny deal. You've made your point countless times." Lil muttered as she started walking to the door.

"Waddle into the next test so we can continue. Any weight you think you've lost during these tests is merely your imagination." The Voice teased as Lil continued into the test chamber. "Luckily, this is your last test. After this, I will tally your score and you will receive a prize. It's a prize for both of us, actually. You should be honored."

Lil took one step into the test chamber and the lights turned off. _This is the part were the Voice kills me_ Lil's panicked mind thought as she looked around for any sign of light.

"What the…?" the Voice shouted while making clicking sounds. "How are the lights malfunctioning? I just built this chamber." The Voice sounded angry. Lil just held her device closely, not sure of what was happening. The dark crowded around her and made her panic softly. "Stand still, Test Subject. I am sending a Party Escort Bot to fetch you for a backup test."

Before Lil could do anything, the wall opened up and a bright light pierced the room. Thinking it was another Escort Bot like before, Lil held up her portal device like it was a real gun. Whatever was to come, she knew she had a chance to fight back this time.

"Hey Buddy!" shouted a really bad American accent. Lil looked around and then at the open wall, which opened up into the maintenance area. Lil couldn't believe her eyes. "I'm speakin' in an accent that's beyond her range of hearin'! Don't be frightened, but we have to go, right now. Walk casually towards me and into my arms and we'll get outta here!"

Lil cried small happy tears as she ran towards Wheatley. Lil jumped into Wheatley's arms and hugged him tightly. "I was so worried you wouldn't come." She whined into Wheatley's shoulder. Wheatley held her tightly, forgetting the wall was wide open and the test chamber cameras were staring right at them. "This voice has been making me run these tests and talking about my mom and…"

Wheatley shushed Lil and kissed her forehead. "It's how she gets to you." He said, in his normal voice. "I promise I'll explain everything, but first we need to find the others and get out of here." Wheatley looked down and noticed a Dual Portal Device hanging by a strap from Lil's wrist. "That thing…" he murmured. Lil started taking the strap off. "No, keep it. We might need it." Wheatley took Lil's hand and they slowly started walking into the maintenance area.

"YOU!" the Voice shouted angrily as the lights turned back on. Lil's grip on Wheatley's hand tightened. "Why don't you ever take a hint? I DON'T NEED YOU ANYMORE!" the Voice shouted as a wall of turrets opened up on the opposite side of the room.

"Oh no! Not those things again! I nearly died last time!" Lil shouted. It was at that moment Wheatley yanked Lil out of the way as the turrets started firing.

Wheatley never thought he could out run a turret, which on any other occasion he couldn't. Something was telling him GLaDOS was holding back. "Quickly we don't have time to dally!" he shouted as they ran along the catwalks.

"Alright, quickly, here is everything: that Voice is a giant computer named GLaDOS." shouted Wheatley, as they turned a corner. Lil had never seen the maintenance areas before so this run amazed her. She could see the test chambers being built and panels coming out of everything.

"GLaDOS was made by the company to run the Enrichment Center, which is where we are now." shouted Wheatley, as he and Lil ducked a panel flying towards them. "The Enrichment Center was built to test the products, one of which being the dual portal device you're carrying." Wheatley shouted again as they stopped at the end of the catwalk. He pointed to a wall on the other side above another cat walk and instructed Lil to shoot at it. Lil nodded and shot a blue portal onto the panel and an orange one off a nearby wall. Wheatley grabbed Lil and jumped through it to the other side just as the catwalk they were on was destroyed by some girders.

The concept of portal jumping still amazed Lil. "Before it could be released to the public, GLaDOS killed nearly everyone in the facility. I say nearly because the only known survivors were the personality constructs one of which being me, and the test subjects. One of which was your mum. As far as I know, she was the only subject scheduled for testing the day GLaDOS was initially destroyed. I'm not sure how, but somehow she made it to the top of the testing lists when the sign outside her extended relaxation chamber clearly stated 'DO NOT TEST' in big bold letters."

Wheatley grabbed Lil by the waist and told her were to shoot the next two portals. At the same time, the two jumped through a portal and landed on the platform a few levels above them as the catwalk below collapsed. They didn't have time to stop for a breather. "And ever since then, the two have kind of been at each other's throats. Up until the incident I already mentioned a while back."

They had to keep running. "Shut down the first time?" Lil shouted through the sounds of the chaos.

"I'll explain that some other time." Wheatley shouted, gripping her hand tightly.

"But if that's true…" Lil shouted as they ran onto another catwalk. "…why does she want me?" Lil yelled as the thunderous crusher made its presence known.

"I don't know!" yelled Wheatley as he and Lil ran for their very lives. "I think she sees you and your sister as a way of kind of getting your mother back!" Lil looked back and screamed as Wheatley urged her to go faster. The crusher smashed everything that got in its way, but Wheatley still felt GLaDOS was holding back.

The elevator was in plain sight but so was the crusher. Wheatley yanked Lil along and ran faster. Hearing Lil's tired breathes Wheatley yanked her ahead of him and swooped her up wedding style. Lil may have lost weight during her testing, but she was still a little heavy to carry. Of course, Wheatley was too busy panicking to care. "Hurry!" she shouted as the crusher became uncomfortably close.

"Must get to the lift, must get to the lift!" Wheatley shouted over and over.

The crusher almost got Wheatley's shoe as he leaped with Lil onto the elevator platform. The crusher firmly in the wall behind them, Wheatley covered Lil just to be safe. Wheatley looked up and behind himself as the elevator door closed and they slowly went up. He didn't realize Lil was under him until he heard her giggle. The elevator started going up slowly as he smiled down at her.

Lil's smile looked like she was trying to hold back happy laughter and tears. "Not bad for a guy who got his hand stuck in the toaster once."

Wheatley chuckled and hugged Lil tightly. "Are you alright?" he asked softly.

Lil nodded as he brought her face closer for a kiss. "I was scared you wouldn't come." Lil whined as Wheatley helped her up.

"I couldn't let her harm the woman I love." Wheatley held Lil close, kissing her forehead repeatedly.

Lil thought him saying that was cheesy, but she accepted it anyway. "Where's Angie?" Lil asked as the elevator stopped. The door opened to a dark hallway lit only by the emergency lights along the management rail above them.

Wheatley helped Lil out of the elevator and into the hallway. "She and the Androids are near the turret production wing. It's safer up there."

Lil found it hard to believe anywhere that had turrets in it was safe, but took Wheatley's word for it. Deep inside, she was panicking. "We are in the inner workings of the facility. There should be a lift around here somewhere that takes us directly up to the factory. We'll meet up with them there." Lil nodded as Wheatley took her hand softly and walked with her along the pathway. Lil watched Wheatley as he led her, not sure where this newfound confidence was coming from.

She remembered when he was scared by the microwave dinging and giggled a bit. She liked the new confident Wheatley but part of her missed the goofy, naïve Wheatley that she had to save from the ice maker in the freezer a while back. She remembered her father telling her that love makes people do strange things. Lil tightened her grip on Wheatley's hand, which made him stop momentarily to check and see if she was okay. Lil smiled as they reached a part in the area that overlooked a chasm.

Wheatley stared at Lil for a moment. He hadn't taken time to realize it before, but Lil was the spitting image of Chell. Her skin was fairer and her hair was shorter, and she had wider hips (he noted in his mind her bust was bigger, but he decided to save that thought for a later day) but her eyes had the same look of love covered by stubborn determination. Lil being in the jumpsuit made it even more so. Wheatley found himself filled with both sadness and nostalgia.

"That Voice…or, GLaDOS, whatever her name is…she said such horrible things in those tests." Lil whispered as they stopped. "She told me you didn't really care about me, that you only felt anything for me because of some guilt felt towards my mother…that the only reason you cared for me and Angie was because we looked like her."

Wheatley wrapped his arms around Lil and held her tightly. "That's not true. Never believe anything she tells you. It's all lies to get to you."

Finding this reassuring, Lil held onto Wheatley tightly and didn't notice the figure standing behind them. Wheatley opened his eyes saw the most freighting image he would ever see. "Wheaters, what's wrong?" Lil asked as she watched a red dot aim at them. Lil turned around and her eyes widened.

It was busted and broken and even slightly burnt, but there it was: The Party Escort Android from before. Forever loyal to GLaDOS, the bot somehow escaped "recycling" and pursued them. Where GLaDOS could not go, it could.

Everything happened in slow motion for Wheatley and Lil after this. With its arm aimed at them, the party escort bot lunged at the two and started firing like a turret. Wheatley pushed Lil out of the way and took a bullet to the shoulder.

"WHEATLEY!" Lil shouted as Wheatley's blood gushed out from the wound. Lil reached for him but her hand fell short of grabbing his. Wheatley grabbed the portal gun as he fell back into the chasm, watching helplessly as the strap of the gun snapped off Lil's wrist with tears in his eyes. Not just from the pain of the wound, but of being separated from Lil again. The bot grabbed Lil as she struggled against it.

Wheatley fell far down as the tear drops flowed from his eyes. _Lil…forgive me…_ he thought as he cascaded into the lower parts of the facility.

_Forgive me, Tiny Human…I couldn't keep you safe…_

_Forgive me, Androids…I'm not much of a leader…_

_Forgive me, Miss Lady…I couldn't keep my promise…_

_I'm nothing but an idiot…how I survived this long is a bloody miracle itself._

The next thing Wheatley felt was the already immense pain in his back become worse as he crashed through some old transport tubes and planks of wood. Wheatley finally landed on a pile of broken wood and glass and tried to look around. How he survived the impact was amazing, but he doubted it would last long. He found his vision getting blurry and felt this was it. He looked around at what looked like personality constructs on their management rails.

"Over here! Over here! We found him!" it sounded like it shouted. Wheatley's hearing was going out as well.

Before blacking out, four shadows approached Wheatley slowly, one picking up the somehow still intact Portal device...and then nothing but darkness…

* * *

><p>Lil had to be knocked unconscious for what was about to happen. Though it wasn't quite ready yet, GLaDOS still wanted everything to be perfect. No short cuts were to be taken and everything had to be precise and done to the finest detail. The Central A.I. Chamber was almost ready for the switch.<p>

GLaDOS glared down at Lil, sleeping soundly in the modified relaxation bed. She was hooked onto every life support monitor GLaDOS could scrounge up. The Escort Android was to be rewarded later, but that was in the back of GLaDOS's hard drive. She was anxious, and it showed. While GLaDOS didn't believe they could actually escape, she was still scared that Lil had been damaged in some way. She had Lil resting just to be safe, even though Lil would need to be awake for what was going to happen. The announcer sounded off every few minutes.

_**SUBJECT TRANSFER PROCEDURE READY IN [42] HOURS**_

"Yes, yes, shut up!" yelled GLaDOS as she coiled about her chamber. It was taking too long for GLaDOS, but she knew she had to be patient. Her behavior as of late was akin to that of a spoiled child. She knew she didn't have long until her program…well, that wasn't important.

What WAS important was that she found a way around it, and she was looking right at it; resting in her relaxation bed.

* * *

><p><strong>N'cha everyone!<strong>

**So, first of all apologies for this taking so long. I've been dealing with a lot of stuff in my personal life and its left me creatively drained. I hope that doesn't show too much in this chapter. If so, let me know and I'll take it down and work on it. I don't want you guys to suffer because of everything that's happened.**

**But, luckily, I am back now and I can finally get the rest of this story out. Yes, sadly my lovelies, this story will be concluding in a few chapters. But not to worry, I have a lot planned before I finish it. There will be plenty of awesome stuff to come, I promise.**

**The next chapter is probably just going to be one big Wheatley flashback. Think of it as my way of apologizing for taking so long with this chapter. Also, as another way of apologizing…**

***takes out magical purse* here, +10 nerdiness scrolls for everyone! *tosses them about***

**Thank you all for your patience and I look forward to your reviews. I kept reading the reviews each time I felt like just quitting and they gave me the strength to keep going. I appreciate everything you guys do to keep me and this story going. So please, review and be merry, my friends. Next chapter won't take as long, I promise ^_^**

**Wheatley, GLaDOS, and the Androids belong to Valve.**

**Buddy belongs to Sparky16 (used with permission, it's been so long since I asked I hope she remembers lol)**


	22. Reemergence

_Reconstructing Humanity_

Reemergence

It didn't take much effort for ATLAS to carry Wheatley after he had passed out. The fact that he had survived the fall in the first place was pretty amazing. The cores led them back to the Core's Garden, where he could be treated properly for his wound. The "Mad Hatter" followed behind them, using a cane fashioned out of old wood to help carry himself. It seemed he knew turret injuries all too well and had a slight limp in his step because of one. P-Body kept Angie close, trying to prevent her from seeing any blood.

Above them, the sounds of the facility echoed off the walls as they climbed toward their destination. He didn't want to, but the Mad Hatter rushed them, eagerly telling them that time was off the essence. They didn't have time to dally or talk. Something very bad was about to happen. They eventually made it back to the Core Garden, where the cores disbanded and went off in their own directions.

"Place him down here." The Mad Hatter muttered in between bouts of random chatter. ATLAS did as he was told and placed Wheatley down on a make-shift bed under a management rail. "The Medic Core can size him up and see how bad the damage is. From what it looks like, the bullet wound isn't too severe, but the fall probably didn't help much." The Mad Hatter muttered again.

After about an hour of waiting, the Medic Core zoomed over to the Mad Hatter and told him the situation and what needed to be done. "Apparently," said the Mad Hatter as the Medic Core zoomed away. "…the wound isn't too bad but the bullet needs to be removed. And seeing as the Medic Core has no hands…" the Mad Hatter cracked his knuckles. "…well, let's just say I'm not that kind of doctor and it's a good thing he's already out cold and leave it at that."

P-Body stayed with Angie, who couldn't see what was going on. ATLAS decided to stay with The Mad Hatter to help him. "We need to do this fast to prevent infection. We don't have much time as it is to save the other one before the unthinkable happens. She can't get to us here, but for the most part, I think she's given up pursuing me to focus on her 'Pet Project' shall we call it. We'll need his help…"

ATLAS gave the Mad Hatter a look of contempt along with a little chatter. The Mad Hatter glanced up from prepping his utensils and smiled softly. "I don't blame you for not believing me, but ironically he's more important than you might think." The Mad Hatter stated softly. "Without him, we might not be able to fix the problem."

Wheatley was still out cold as ATLAS and the Mad Hatter got to work. He didn't move at all during the procedure, but he twitched a bit. Though his body was still, his mind raced with the images of a time long passed. With every memory reemerging, Wheatley's mind grew more remorseful.

_Wheatley rose from his bed slowly and stretched his arms. He resisted the urge to look over on the other side of the bed as he used to. He kept forgetting that Pam was gone and he couldn't shake her awake like he normally did in the mornings. Wheatley was starting to hate his bed and often thought about getting rid of it. But then he remembered he and Pam picked this bed out together when her old bed was too small and she refused to sleep on Wheatley's futon from his old apartment. In fact, she was very insistent that he throw it away._

_Placing two feet on the floor, Wheatley got up, scratched his head, and put on his glasses. He was still on grief leave from work and lately had been occupying his time by playing video games and eating junk food. If Pam were alive, she'd scream at him for being so lazy. But then again, Wheatley reminded himself that Pam was gone, so the only keeping him from going crazy was the thought of going back to work in a few weeks._

_His days had become routine. Get up, eat cereal, take a shower, play video games, maybe run some errands, watch T.V., and then go to bed. Whatever it took to keep his mind off of Pam, he did it. This morning, however, the alarm clock didn't wake him up. The phone did. Wheatley dreaded answering it. It was either work or his mother calling. Today, it was his mother. Despite letting it ring, he knew his mother was persistent and wouldn't hang up. He sighed and grabbed the phone._

"_Hello? Oh, hi, Mum…no, I'm doing fine…no, I haven't gone back to work yet, I'm still on leave…yes, I still have a job there, I'm just on leave I told you that already…yes, I know it's been a month since Pam died, Mum, but I just don't think it's time for me to start dating again…Mum, please don't start with that, I'm having a tough time as it is…no, I don't plan on coming back to England anytime soon. I don't have to money for a visit right now and even so I'm sure I used up most of my vacation days while at the hospital with Pam…Mum…Mum, please…MUM! Look, I didn't mean to yell, but I have a lot to do today so I'm going to have to keep this short, alright? I'll give you a call sometime later, alright? Tell Dad I said hello…yes, I love you too, Mum…bye…"_

_Wheatley set the phone down softly and sighed. He wished his mother would call for more important matters. In truth, he had plenty of money stashed away for a trip home. Ironically, he was going to take Pam to England on their honeymoon. Wheatley smiled at the thought of Pam on his arm as they walked around London. He shook the thought from his head and went to get dressed._

_Pouring himself some cereal, Wheatley heard a knock at the door. "Pendleton…come on, open up, I know you're home." shouted a familiar voice on the other side of the door. It was Harvey. Wheatley sighed and walked to the front door, opening it slowly. Harvey walked in as Wheatley opened it. "Good, you're awake. We need to talk, man." Harvey seemed determined for some reason. Wheatley closed the door as Harvey faced Wheatley. "You have to come back to work, Pendleton. They want you there to help make modifications to that program you designed. You're the only one that can do it. Everyone is clamoring for you, it is INSANE!"_

_Wheatley just glared at Harvey and sighed, going back to the kitchen to finish making his cereal bowl. Harvey sighed softly and followed him. "Look, I know you're still on leave, but you can't spend the rest of your life in mourning and blaming yourself. It wasn't your fault, Pendleton!"_

_Harvey's words fell on deaf ears as Wheatley poured milk into his cereal. "I know I'll never understand what you're going through and honestly I hope I never do because looking at you go from the happiest man alive to this depressing sack of human life is not giving me much hope for the future." Wheatley didn't appreciate Harvey's honesty as he ate his Cheerios. "But you can't spend the rest of your life in this depression. You have to get up and get back out there into the world."_

"_That's exactly what my mother told me this morning." Wheatley murmured in between spoonful's of bland milky goodness. "You'd think she'd be more insightful while she's spending all that money to call me here in the states but all she can do is make me feel worse. That crazy woman is actually trying to set me up on dates all the way from England! Can you believe that?"_

_Harvey chuckled a bit and sat on the stool next to Wheatley. "Look, I like sitting on my butt and playing video games as much as the next guy. In fact, I am probably the president of the 'Sitting on Your Ass All Day' club on my days off, but this isn't like you, Pendleton. Come on, I took a personal day so me and you can get you out of this apartment and back into the world. Your leave is up next week, so this is the perfect opportunity to get you up and out of this apartment. Come on, you look like you're in desperate need of airing out."_

"This will probably hurt him a bit." whispered the Mad Hatter as he burned the tip of some tongs with a lighter P-Body had given him (her back pack contained a little rigmarole of various objects). "Hopefully he'll stay under until I can get the bullet out. Or he'll wake up shrieking loud enough to wake the dead. Either way, we'll have the bullet out." The Mad Hatter motioned for ATLAS to hold down Wheatley's shoulders, just in case.

A little ways away, P-Body sat with Angie as the cores zoomed around overhead. "Mr. Wheatley was once one of those?" she asked innocently. P-Body nodded softly and reached into her back pack. Slowly, P-Body pulled out the sphere that was once Wheatley the Intelligence Dampening Sphere. Angie took it slowly as P-Body chirped her little warning to her. "This was Mr. Wheatley?" she asked as she shook the ball. P-Body stopped Angie from shaking it any further.

Angie poked one eye into the back of the device and looked around. "How did he fit in there?" she asked softly. P-Body giggled and took the small ball from Angie. She pointed to her head, then to the metal sphere. She then pointed to Wheatley, then to the metal sphere. Angie believed she got the message and nodded. "So, they put his brain in here? But it's so small, they couldn't have fit all of it in there." she asked. P-Body thought about it and shrugged softly. Angie smiled and took the metal ball back from P-Body.

_That would explain a lot_ P-Body chattered in her own language.

Wheatley, for his part, was indeed still unconscious. He didn't feel the tug of the tongs as it yanked the bullet from his wound. He also didn't feel the Mad Hatter burn the wound the close it. Both the Mad Hatter and ATLAS knew he'd feel it the moment he woke up. "If he doesn't wake up in a few hours, we'll wake him up ourselves. We'll need him."

ATLAS looked at the man and asked, in his language, why Wheatley was so important. The Mad Hatter sighed and wiped his hands on his lab coat. "This may take some explaining…and you're not going to like it." He said, as he and ATLAS walked over to P-Body and Angie.

"Years ago, before he became that…" the Mad Hatter pointed to the construct Angie was holding tightly. "…your 'Mr. Wheatley' was a programmer up in the offices. He designed the initial program that would eventually become the GLaDOS project. Of course, like any program of this size, it had its flaws. It wasn't that he didn't warn them. When he found out what was really going on, he tried to stop it. He risked his own life to save others from the fate that would eventually befall him."

Angie held the personality construct close as the Mad Hatter continued. "My guessing it that deep inside his mind, he remembers the program and how to fix it. Essentially, he needs to fix HER." The Mad Hatter reasoned. P-Body chattered something to him and he only shook his head. "Shut her down? Not possible at this point. The reserve power in the facility isn't even close to the levels it needs to be at to keep this place should we shut her down. We're talking a nuclear meltdown that would destroy the entire facility, everyone in it, and everything within a thousand miles. That includes the city and everyone ignorant of Aperture's still thriving presence. So, we're indeed at an impasse."

The Mad Hatter looked down at Wheatley, whose eyes fluttered a bit. "Silently dreaming…" the Mad Hatter whispered softly.

_Returning to work wasn't as happy an occasion as Wheatley had hoped it would be. The others welcomed him back happily, but to Wheatley it seemed like nothing had changed. Though it was less than a month ago, Wheatley still felt like the only thing keeping him going was the thought of going home to Pam. Then he'd remind himself that Pam was gone and fight back the powerful urge to start sobbing in the middle of a lesson._

_The days started to become one big routine. Get up, get ready, go to work, drive home, talk himself out of getting Burger King for dinner, come home with McDonalds, and watch TV until it was time for bed. Occasionally, he'd get calls from his parents but most of the time he ignored the phone. Once, Pam's mother called to see how he was doing but the conversation was short. She could probably sense that he wasn't in the talking mood just yet and kept the conversation short._

_Wheatley often stayed up late staring at the ceiling of his bedroom. He still laid on one side of the bed, having gotten used to Pam being on the other. Everything in the apartment was untouched. Pam's make-up and skin care products were still in the bathroom medicine cabinet and even her feminine hygiene products still sat in the cabinet under the sink. Wheatley didn't even have the heart to throw out the towels she picked when they first move in together. He hated the sea shell designs, but couldn't get himself to throw them away._

_He did, however, throw away his beat up Metallica t-shirt and his favorite pair of ripped jeans. Every time he wore them, he could hear Pam yelling at him to throw them away. With each arm slipping into their respective sleeves, her voice shot into his head._

"_WHEATLEY! Throw that nasty shirt away! If I see it in the laundry basket again, I'm going to burn it!"_

_Wheatley immediately took the shirt off and threw it in the kitchen trash can before sitting on the floor and sobbing hopelessly. Words couldn't express how much he missed Pam. Guilt and anguish followed him everywhere and everything in the apartment reminded him of her. He thought about moving into another apartment, but he couldn't afford to take any more time off work. Wheatley reasoned he probably couldn't afford it financially anyway._

_Days passed by and things didn't seem to change for Wheatley until he was finally given his office job. He felt the change of pace might be beneficial, considering each intern went off to separate departments. He felt a bit relieved to be away from Smith, but missed always seeing Harvey in the mornings. They still kept in touch, thankfully. Wheatley felt he would have gone insane if not for Harvey helping him out of his rut._

_With a smile on his face and a skip in his step, Wheatley walked into the building with his head held high. He knew Pam wouldn't want him sulking around, so he decided to give his new job his all. He still missed her, and he mourned her openly all the time, but he decided not to let this get the best of him. He forced his cheeriest smile and started into the building._

P-Body and ATLAS got up to look around while Angie stayed where she was. The Mad Hatter seemed confused by the child's wonderment in him. "Did you fix Mr. Wheatley?" she asked softly, holding the construct as if it were a teddy bear. The Mad Hatter smiled at the child and sat down next to her.

"I'm not sure, but we'll find out soon, won't we?" he chuckled softly. Angie smiled at the Mad Hatter and sat by him.

"Mr. Wheatley said my mom came from this place. Did you know her?" she asked softly. "Was my mom born in this place? I saw the above places and it's all dirty and broken."

"She wasn't born here, but she spent a good deal of her life here. Your mother was an amazing woman. She fought her way out of here and became something of a legend to all the other humans trapped here. I watched your mother grow from a simple test subject to a full-blown hero. It's quite a feat if you think about it, little one." He chuckled softly. "I did everything I could to protect her. But in the end, she had to make some decisions for herself, like you will one day."

Angie blinked a bit. "Were you her dad?" she asked offhandedly. The Mad Hatter blinked a bit and stared at the child. "Lil told me that Moms and Dads protect their children because they love them. My mommy and daddy protected me and Lil all the time, especially from those monsters in my closet. This one time, Lil found a spider in her room and Dad came storming in like a brave knight and got rid of it. When Lil stopped screaming, Dad told her he loved and would always protect us from scary things; like spiders. So, does that mean you're my mom's dad?"

The Mad Hatter smiled softly and leaned back. "You could say that. I made sure no harm came to her while she completed her great adventure. I guess I looked over her like a father would. I made sure she entered her long sleep unharmed so she could one day reawaken and rightfully claim her freedom. So, yes, in a way, I was her father."

Angie gave the Mad Hatter a big smile and hugged the construct tightly. "Then…then that means you're my grandpa!" she said excitedly.

The Mad Hatter smiled softly. He never would have thought a day would come when someone would call him "Dad", let alone "Grandpa", but he welcomed it with a smile. "I guess…it does, doesn't it?" he asked softly. He looked down at the small child smiling wide and hugged her.

"My other grandpa died before I was born, but Dad always said he was grumpy. I hope you won't be." said Angie with a big smile. The Mad Hatter smiled softly and patted Angie on the head. He then got up to go check on Wheatley, who still hadn't woken up yet.

"Mr. Wheatley is still sleeping, Grandpa. You said he needed to be awake?" Angie asked, softly. The Mad Hatter nodded softly and walked with Angie towards the cores. "Those things look like this Mr. Wheatley." Angie held up the construct she had been holding onto for dear life.

The Mad Hatter nodded and took her hand. "They are called personality constructs. They are people, in a sense. They are cores to be hooked up to the big bad computer above to keep her from hurting anyone. They live here with me. They keep me company." He said, as he directed her to one of the cores nearby. "They each have a different personality and a different function. This one is the Gardening Core. She knows a lot about flowers and helps keep the garden here kept."

Angie reached up to touch the core, but couldn't reach. The Mad Hatter picked her up and let the two shake hands (or in the case of the core, handles). "Nice to meet you, Miss Small Human." The core said, happily. "I do hope you enjoy your stay here. Please mind the plants, though." The Gardening Core then zoomed off.

"Don't be frightened. She's always in a hurry for something." The Mad Hatter chuckled as he put Angie down. The Mad Hatter took Angie's hand again and walked with her over to the small stream making its way through the garden. "This water supply is quite extraordinary. It's probably the freshest source of water in the entire facility. I'm not sure where it comes from, but I believe it comes from an outside source through a broken pipe."

Angie nodded happily and continued to walk with the Mad Hatter, or "Grandpa". A little ways away, Wheatley twitched in his slumber; his fingers moving as if grasping something.

_Wheatley typed away at his computer, working closely with the scientists on the "GLaDOS" project. His program had to be fine-tuned and tweaked endlessly, but he found it a nice distraction. Most of the time, he found himself getting in the scientists' way and causing accidents, but most of the time, Wheatley kept to himself._

_The only thing Wheatley didn't like about his work with the scientists was how closely he was working with Smith now. Wheatley usually kept out of Smith's way, but lately it seemed Smith seemed to enjoy antagonizing Wheatley at any turn. Wheatley could deal with the light hearted teasing and the jokes at his expense, but sometimes, it became too much for him to bear._

_The only peace he got out of the whole arrangement was the late nights he'd spend alone in the labs working on the latest update for the project. It gave him time alone with his thoughts and also time to reflect. One thing he liked most (and was probably ashamed of) was that it let him listen in to all the after work gossip. Wheatley would pretend to work and listen to the latest in who's dating who, who's cheating on whom, and who recently "Quit". That word seemed to fly around a lot lately. Lately, he had been hearing that certain people in his department had "Quit", though he found it odd that most of the person in question's personal effects were still on their desk and in their lockers after they had "Quit"._

_Wheatley started to wonder if Jacobson had "Quit". Wheatley and the other former interns hadn't seen Jacobson since a few days before Wheatley's big presentation a few months before. Yet, it took Aperture two weeks to clean out his desk in the lecture room. What the interns hadn't raided was just thrown in the trash. Wheatley questioned Harvey as to why the janitor was throwing out Jacobson's personal effects. Harvey only shrugged as they went back to sifting through the plundered treasure from Jacobson's desk._

_It wasn't that Wheatley didn't like his fancy new pen set that said "Happy Graduation, Neil -Love Mom and Dad" on each pen; he just thought it odd that Jacobson would leave something so personal behind. He often heard other rumors of "disappearances" but just shrugged them off. As Wheatley burned the midnight oil working on the latest patch for the program, he heard some other late night workers gossiping over the latest news._

"_Did you hear about that poor kid in accounting?" asked the Front Desk Lady as she closed a filing cabinet. "You mean that one that kept rambling off those stupid facts? I hated that guy. His little tidbits of trivia were cute at first, but after a while it just became annoying." said one of the tech guys in his cubicle. "What was his name…Chris…?"_

"_I think it was Craig." The Front Desk lady muttered. "He asked me out for drinks once and the entire time he just rambled on about the entire history of the Smirnoff I was drinking. Most of it was wrong."_

_Wheatley quietly ate his bag of chips and listened in closely. "Yeah, I heard he was transferred." said the Tech Guy._

"_You know what they mean when they say 'transferred', right? I mean, he was an accountant, where would they transfer him to?" the Front Desk Lady lowered her tone as other office dwellers passed by. "I heard from one of the girls in the labs that they are testing some of the newest technology on some of the lower ranking people. That's where that intern went. Mandatory volunteerism, indeed."_

_Wheatley tried not to listen and tried to concentrate on his work. The thought of seeing Jacobson strapped into a machine like he had seen before was horrifying. He saved his work and took out another disk from his desk drawer. The case was marked "Quick-Fix" and he took the disk out slowly. On the disk itself, the words "WHEN THINGS GET REALLY BAD" were written in black._

"Mr. Human! Mr. Human! He's waking up!" shouted a core overlooking Wheatley. The Mad Hatter got up slowly and walked to Wheatley. The androids, Angie, and the cores within earshot crowded around the former construct as he awoke.

"Slowly now…you might still be in shock." said the Mad Hatter as Wheatley rubbed his head. The Mad Hatter reached into his lab coat pocket and handed Wheatley his glasses. "How do you feel?" he asked as Wheatley put his glasses back on.

Wheatley grabbed his shoulder as a sharp pain flew through his body. "Like…like I've been shot in the shoulder then burned with a lighter." Wheatley whispered, rubbing his shoulder. He felt the bandages and felt a rush to his head as his eyes refocused. He looked at the scraggily man in front of him and a brief vision passed over his eyes.

"_I hope you aren't down here to cause trouble, Pendleton." snapped Smith, as he took the newest patch disk from Wheatley. Wheatley grimaced a bit and straightened up his glasses. If there was anyone in the entire world that Wheatley just wanted to punch in the face, Benjamin Smith was that man._

_Wheatley fought back a yawn and glared at Smith. "I'm just down here delivering the latest patch that you all couldn't wait until morning for." Wheatley groaned as Smith handed the disk to another scientist. "Now, if you don't need me anymore, I'm going home." As Wheatley left, he felt a hand grab his shoulder. He looked behind him at Smith, who seemed to be gritting his teeth under his evil smile._

"_What's the rush, Pendleton? Why not see what we have going on here?" Smith asked, slyly. Wheatley shook his head and started to leave when Smith yanked him back in front of him. "You haven't been yourself, you know that, Pendleton? Ever since your girlfriend departed to the great unknown, your odd brand of cheer just doesn't brighten our days like it used to."_

_Wheatley hated everything about this slimy man. Smith had tried every underhanded maneuver he could to get to Wheatley and in the past it might have worked. But seeing that he couldn't egg Wheatley on like he used to, Smith seemed to be getting desperate. Like an addict looking for any way to get his quick fix, Smith started taking any jab he could to get a reaction out of Wheatley. Tonight, however, he seemed to cross a certain line that no decent human being should cross._

_Smith reached into his lab coat pocket and took out a picture of Pam; the very picture that had gone missing from Wheatley's desk a few days before. Wheatley had assumed he took it home when he couldn't find it but now Smith dangled it in front of poor Wheatley like a cat toy. "You know, she was a pretty lady. I'll never understand how she fell for a loser like you, Pendleton. I was never going to tell you this, but I met her once when she came up here to deliver something you stupidly forgot at home."_

_Wheatley balled up his fists and gritted his teeth. "Sweet girl, Pam was. Nice to a fault, though…you know, with a body like hers, she could have had anyone. Hell, I would have even given her a chance. Though, I doubt I was her type, considering she goes for gigantic British guys with no common sense and the IQ of a tangerine. Still…I would have given her the ride of her life…"_

_Eyes twitching and fists ball up to the point of almost disappearing completely, Wheatley watched as Smith tossed Pam's picture on the floor. "Instead, she chose you…she probably died of boredom…"_

_With that, Wheatley couldn't hold it in anymore and unleashed the full extent of his pent up rage onto Smith in a slew of punches and curse words. As Wheatley beat Smith relentlessly, two other scientists came in to see what the commotion was about. The two ran to the two and separated them before Wheatley could do anymore damage. "Take him back to his desk, I'll get this one to medical." shouted the balding scientist. Wheatley found himself being dragged by his arm out of the room as the other scientists (who wisely decided to stay out of it) helped Smith up._

_In the hallway on a bench, the Scraggily Man handed Wheatley some tissues for his bloody nose. "He clocked you pretty good, didn't he?" the man asked as he sat next to Wheatley. Wheatley nodded and leaned against the back of the bench. "You did quite a number on him, so I guess it equals out. You're Wheatley Pendleton, right?" the man asked. Wheatley nodded._

"_Ahh, I heard about you. Your girlfriend died, recently. I'm sorry to hear that. I'm single, myself, but I do know what it's like to lose someone close to you. I was raised by my grandmother until I was about nineteen. She died while I was at college. Still gets to me, but I've learned to live with it." The man said softly in between odd muttering. "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't introduce myself." the man held out his hand and Wheatley shook it as he put another tissue on his nose. "I'm…"_

"…Dr. Rattmann?" Wheatley whispered, as his vision disappeared.

Dr. Douglas Rattmann smiled and nodded. "Yes, Mr. Pendleton?" he chuckled as he helped Wheatley sit up.

"How…how did…" Wheatley couldn't seem to fathom what was going on. "How did I know your name?" he asked as ATLAS handed him his shirt.

"We might have worked together once in the past. It's a bit of a blur to me as well, so forgive me if I can't give you all the details." Dr. Rattmann watched as Wheatley tried to awake more. The pain in his shoulder was too intense for words, but Wheatley ignored it for the most part. Dr. Rattmann stayed in his spot.

Wheatley looked around and assessed his location while putting his blood stained shirt on. "The last thing I remember was being with Lil and then the catwalk and then…"

"The modified escort bot got you." Dr. Rattmann finished. Wheatley nodded and looked around at the cores zooming about. This gave him a horrible feeling of nostalgia mixed with sadness, watching the little cores zoom around on the rails. Angie wanted to run up to him and hug him, but P-Body stopped her. Wheatley watched as the cores zoomed around, not noticing he was there. He smiled softly and closed his eyes, a lone tear dropping down his cheek.

Dr. Rattmann placed his hand on Wheatley's good shoulder. "I know this is all a bit…much for you to take in, but we have something of the utmost importance to discuss, and it cannot wait anymore."

Dr. Rattmann led Wheatley over to a table where a burnt turret and a beat up old companion cube sat. Dr. Rattmann instructed Wheatley to sit across from him as he sat. Wheatley did as he was told, finding the calm nature of the table quite odd given the circumstances. It was a regular table with a ripped table cloth draped over. The table itself was wobbly and being held still by a small book underneath one leg. The table top was adorned with a tea set but whether or not tea was actually being served was not addressed.

"Wheatley, if I may call you that…" Dr. Rattmann asked, fiddling with the empty tea cup in front of him. Wheatley nodded and straightened his glasses. "What I am about to tell you may not be the best thing to tell you at this moment, considering you just woke up from having a bullet yanked out of you. But we don't have much time either way, so please bear with me."

Dr. Rattmann cleared his throat and looked dead at Wheatley. Wheatley noted that one pupil was larger than the other and his wild hair was starting to get a twinge of gray in it. Wheatley wondered how long Dr. Rattmann had been trapped here along with the cores.

"GLaDOS, in a sense is dying." Dr. Rattmann started. "Her programing is starting to deteriorate. It started when she was suddenly awakened by you and…" Dr. Rattmann mumbled a bit, as if he didn't want to say a certain name coming to mind. "…being suddenly awakened from 'death' sent quite a shock through her systems and being a potato for a little bit didn't help either. Since then, she's started acting against her original programing and it's taking its toll on her. Normally, I would suggest we just let it take its course, but that isn't an option. The reserve power is nowhere near the levels it needs to be to keep this place up and running should she shut down. If we don't fix it manually, she'll shut down and with no one running this place…well; I don't think I need to tell you what can happen…"

Wheatley blinked a bit as Dr. Rattmann cleared his throat. "As terrifying as that sounds, Dr. Rattmann, what does that have to do with us? Or more importantly, how is this going to help us save Lil?" he asked, somewhat anxious to get going. Dr. Rattmann just looked at Wheatley solemnly.

"Well, I'm not the only one who knows this, Wheatley. You think a computer as advanced as she is doesn't constantly do diagnostics on herself? For over twenty-five years, she's known her programing was starting to give way, but she ignored it until just recently when it became a problem. She's finding it harder and harder to do even the simplest of her programed functions. But in her studies of herself and her own inner workings, she's found a few ways around it. Though her options were limited to fix the problem manually, which would mean the original programmer would have to do it or transfer herself into another body…"

Wheatley's eyes widened. "Guess which option she chose…" Dr. Rattmann said softly. Wheatley shook his head in disbelief. "In doing a body transfer, she can bypass her original programing hardware, giving her something of a second chance. The prototype chassis is too far beyond repair for her to use and her 'base' body, from what I've discovered, could not be located in the stasis chambers."

"No…" Wheatley murmured softly. "No, no…it isn't true…" Wheatley got up and balanced against his chair. "She…she wanted Chell back to do more testing…but Chell is dead, so Lil and her sister would be the only logical answers. That's what's going on…it has to be…"

Dr. Rattmann shook his head slowly. "Whether scientific or sentimental, I'm not sure, but she chose Chell to be her new host body. That's the real reason she sent you topside. She didn't really need any research. It was front to get you to go up there. You'd never be behind a plan like this, so she made up the human research plan. She knew it was fool proof. But upon finding out Chell was dead, she decided her daughters would be appropriate replacements. She wanted to kidnap both girls, but thanks to your efforts, the small one is safe."

Wheatley shook his head, not wanting to hear anymore. Dr. Rattmann sighed softly, knowing it needed to be said. "GLaDOS is going to transfer herself into Lil's body. You may not want to hear it, but it's the truth and we don't have much time to stop it. The procedure itself can take a few minutes, but getting it ready takes hours; a little less than two days to be more precise. In that time, she'll sync up Lil to the facility's systems so she'll have complete control of the facility even after the transfer is complete. I don't think I have to tell you it's a horrifying and painful experience."

Sighing softly, Wheatley tried his hardest to take in all the information he was given. "What will happen to Lil; to her subconscious, I mean?" Wheatley asked finally.

Dr. Rattmann shrugged softly. "I'm not sure. She might transfer her into a core or she might even, shall we say, 'delete' Lil. It's hard to say. Either way, she's rigging her chamber to be ready right now as we speak. GLaDOS will rig Lil up to the facility's systems in order to make to procedure easier. She will control the facility from Lil's body and…well, her brain as well."

Dr. Rattmann looked at Wheatley and stood up. "You were one of GLaDOS's original programmers, you designed her base program. You can make some kind of 'quick-fix' program that can fix her, if not permanently than at least long enough to save Lil and get out of here."

Wheatley thought about it and shook his head. "The last thing I want right now is to do that monster up there any favors. But if it means I have to personally dismantle GLaDOS with my bear hands and put her back together again, then I will do anything to save Lil."

Dr. Rattmann sighed and looked around. "Alright, then. We have a lot to plan and not a lot of time to plan it. I might be able to temporarily shut the process down from a remote point, but it will only give us a tiny window of opportunity to get in there and save her. After that, we need to work on the quick-fix program. Without it, she'll eventually shut down manually and nothing will keep this place from exploding and taking the nearby city with it."

Wheatley nodded and followed Dr. Rattmann toward a small alcove adorned with old computer parts and monitors. "I can see everything through these monitors. I've seen everything that's happened so far, and she's pulled out all the stops." He said softly. "Prepare yourself for what is to come. She has armed this place to the tee to make sure nothing interrupts the procedure."

Sitting in the broken chair, Dr. Rattmann directed Wheatley's attention to one monitor in particular. It was of the central A.I. chamber, where GLaDOS had Lil in a modified relaxation bed. Thankfully, Lil was out cold. Wheatley couldn't stand to see Lil hooked up to all those cords. It made his blood boil seeing her like that.

Angie sat a little ways away and played with the construct. "Everyone wants to save Lil. I want to save her too, but no one has asked me what I think." She whispered to the construct. The construct was blank, thus could not answer her back. "I wonder what kind of things Lil is doing right now. Grandpa and Mr. Wheatley won't let me see the computer. I don't like it when I'm left out of things." The construct just stared at Angie. "Do you think they are coming up with a way to save Lil? If so, they are taking a lot of time. I hate waiting."

Looking over, Angie saw Dr. Rattmann point to something. Angie squinted and smiled. "I saw that place on the way here with Mr. ATLAS and Miss Pee-Bee. I bet we could save Lil by ourselves and be heroes. Then she'll have to let me stay up late whenever I want." Angie smiled and got up.

"So, that's what's going on. We need to make a quick-fix program to counter act the program itself. If we can get close enough to her to administer it, saving Lil will be easy. However, we don't have much time. We'll need the original plans for the program to make the quick-fix." Dr. Rattmann mused.

"No, we don't." said Wheatley, softly. "I think…I think there already is a quick-fix…I think I might have already made one. But…that memory is shaky. I think I may have made one, but for the life of me I can't remember why." He murmured, rubbing his head.

"Why you made it is irrelevant." said Dr. Rattmann. "The important thing is there is one already made. Where is it?"

Wheatley shrugged. "I don't know…all I can remember is that I made one. If anything, it might be in the offices above."

Dr. Rattmann nodded. "Then that's where we need to go. The offices should be safe for you to traverse, but still be weary." Dr. Rattmann turned his attention back to the monitors. "I can probably delay the procedure by a few hours by giving this place a power surge, but it still isn't much." Wheatley nodded and clenched his fists. Dr. Rattmann kept his attention on his computer console. "I'll go with you. The Androids can stay and keep eye on the little one. We can get to the offices above through some of the maintenance areas. The cores can show us the way."

After preparing themselves, Dr. Rattmann pressed a few buttons on his console and watched the lights flicker overhead until they completely went out. "The emergency lights should be more than enough light for us until she turns the power back on. Let's get going…" he muttered. ATLAS and P-Body waved to Dr. Rattmann and Wheatley as they left the core garden with a few constructs leading the way. P-Body turned around with a big smile to greet Angie, but couldn't find her anywhere. She looked at ATLAS, who just shrugged.

P-Body shouted in her chatter for Angie, while ATLAS asked the remaining cores.

* * *

><p>Angie held onto the construct tightly as she found her way out of the garden and into the maintenance area. She had wandered out the way they had come in earlier, but suddenly didn't recognize anything. She thought she had a pretty good idea of where she was going, but as it turns out, she didn't. Everywhere looked the same to her and now she was alone. Angie sighed softly and followed the management rail above. "The place Grandpa and Mr. Wheatley were looking at looks exactly like everywhere else." She whined, as she came up to a broken construct receptacle.<p>

The construct started beeping as Angie neared the receptacle. "Oh, is this what you want?" she asked it. Angie placed the core on the receptacle and stood back. It made a chiming noise and started to speak. It asked Angie to give it a location. "Ummm…where is that place Grandpa talked about…the Center Alien Room?" she asked.

The construct beeped a few times as the eye spun around.

"**Interpreting Vague Answer as 'Central A.I. Chamber'. Please Connect Construct to Management Rail"**

Angie had no idea how she was going to do that. Angie tossed the construct up a few times until something magnetic hooked the construct to the rail. The construct started zooming off, with Angie following behind. "Wait for me!" she shouted, as her little pitter-patter footsteps echoed throughout the area. The shadow of her and the core bounced along the walls as the hum of the complex attempting to come back on followed with each step.

As Angie rounded each corner, the feeling that she was being watched and followed crept into her mind. She didn't have time to think about that now. The construct didn't stop for breathers, so Angie had to try her hardest to keep up with it.

A shadow loomed overhead, watching as the child followed the construct. An evil smile adorned it's very familiar face. Whether for GLaDOS or itself, it didn't matter. It followed the child, knowing that whether it caught her or if GLaDOS caught her, things would become far more interesting. "Hey, wait up!" shouted Angie, almost out of breath. Despite being exhausted, Angie was excited. Soon, she'd rescue Lil and be the hero.

Soon, they'd all be a family again.

* * *

><p><strong>N'cha, my lovelies! Not as long as my other chapters, I must admit but I am happy nonetheless.<strong>

**I must admit, sadly, this is mostly filler for the next chapter. I know what you must be asking. "Luna Peachie, why would filler take so long?" Well, oddly nosey individual, I'll tell you. Over the next few chapters, I'm going to be laying down the foundations for the ending. **

**Yep, this story will be ending in a few chapters. I know, I know, it's sad. But hey, we had a good run, right? And look at the bright side; you know that prequel I was going on about a few chapters ago? Well, that's happening after this story ends. **

**But before this story ends, the next few chapters are going to focus on how Wheatley became a core so, keep a look out for that. That might have its own chapter coming up very soon so hehehe yeah.**

**And get this; I got a few other fics planned as well, so your daily dose of Luna Peachie can be satisfied lol. Don't be sad, my doves. I'm not going anywhere. I'll still be lurking around and reviewing and giving my best to the friends I've made along the way.**

**So, what did you guys think, huh? Not bad for someone going through some personal issues right now, huh? That's right, my personal issues, though far from resolved, have diminished to the point where getting on my laptop and writing no longer feels like a chore. Writing should never be a chore, my dears. Writing is like painting a picture with words and an artist has a duty to their fans to keep the art alive. If something you love doing starts to feel like a chore, than it's time to reevaluate that something. I did a lot of meditating (and by meditating, I mean I played Portal over and over again) and my muse came back with a vengeance last night.**

**To be honest, I felt I may have forced this chapter a bit. If it feels that way, let me know and I'll fix it. I scrapped a lot of ideas for this chapter, but I sometimes wonder if it may have been better another way. I guess all writers feel like that when they read their own stuff, huh? I hope I'm not the only one, anyway lol.**

**This chapter, Angie met Grandpa. Next chapter, Angie meets "Grandma" and we'll leave it at that.**

**Well, review and be merry, my loves. I appreciate all the reviews that come in. Rereading the reviews gave me the extra boost I needed to keep going. I don't write for glory or fame, I write because I love to write and I do it for you guys. **

**Oh, and xXKatnissXx, that picture of Wheatley in the Gir hat is adorable. Thank you very much. Fan art is awesome, am I right?**

**GLaDOS, Wheatley, ATLAS, P-Body, and Dr. Rattmann belong to Valve.**


	23. To Grandmother's House We Go

_Reconstructing Humanity_

To Grandmother's House We Go

Into the deepest reaches of the above offices, where the cores dared not go, Wheatley and Dr. Rattmann walked among the broken walls and flora growing about. Wheatley stopped every so often and shook away the visions of phantoms that plagued him as they walked about the cubicles. Dr. Rattmann, though somewhat unstable, seemed to be in better spirits than Wheatley. Everything about the offices scared Wheatley with its familiarity and darkness.

Phantoms plagued each walkway. He tried to focus on the task at hand, but could help but dodge the phantoms of a time long past. He recognized some of them. Wheatley had to keep himself from waving to the passing office dwellers. "This place hurts my head…" he whined softly. Dr. Rattmann shushed him.

"Just stay focused. Try to concentrate. Where was your desk?" Dr. Rattmann asked. Wheatley looked around and squinted. Each desk looked familiar, but nothing seemed to jump out at him. He knew time was of the essence and though the power surge bought them a few more hours, Dr. Rattmann was still rushing him. Memories weren't something Wheatley could just turn on and off at a moment's notice. Most of the time, Wheatley's memories seemed to have to take on a life of their own and only popped up whenever they felt the need to. But all Wheatley saw at that moment were the phantoms of his former coworkers. At least, he believed they were his former coworkers.

Everything was destroyed. GLaDOS obviously didn't bother repairing anything in the above offices, so traversing the broken cubicles and avoiding malfunctioning machinery was a little difficult. Wheatley believed had GLaDOS bothered with anything in here, she might have found the answer to her problem in the form of the "Quick-Fix" program Dr. Rattmann kept going on about. Wheatley was trying his hardest to even remember making it, but the question in his head was why he even would feel the need to.

Wheatley's shoe crunched down on the glass from a broken television as Dr. Rattmann turned around sharply. Wheatley was beginning to question Dr. Rattmann's mental stability at this point, but seeing as Dr. Rattmann had more knowledge of the situation than he did, Wheatley tried to ignore the man's odd muttering, fidgety movements, and paranoid behavior. Years of living within the walls and monitoring GLaDOS didn't seem to treat poor Dr. Rattmann well.

Wheatley stopped and looked around as the emergency lights blinked. Something about a cubicle in the corner of the room seemed familiar. Wheatley separated himself from Dr. Rattmann, who had started to rummage through some of the old desks. It was easy to get to these cubicles, as most of the other cubicles had fallen over.

Dr. Rattmann looked at the posters adorning the walls. Motivational posters still somehow stuck to the office walls. He remembered the scientists being instructed to invent a heavy duty adhesive specifically for use on motivational posters within the office but never really knew how well it worked. He did remember being part of the team to help get a certain intern unstuck from the wall after said intern accidently knocked a beaker of it on his lab coat. Dr. Rattmann chuckled and touched the poster. The poster itself was degrading and the words could barely be seen anymore.

Moving aside broken partitions and sweeping old papers to the side with his foot, Wheatley scoured the area as the emergency lights blinked. He watched the phantom shadows walk along the wall, as if people were still roaming around the office like any other day. Dr. Rattmann looked up from his search and saw Wheatley staring at the wall.

_With the radio playing softly, Wheatley bit into his donut as he typed away. Today, it wasn't just him wearing black. The entire day people pretended to mourn Mr. Johnson, who had reportedly died the night before. Wheatley had been up half the night nursing his bloody nose from his confrontation with Smith. Though the fact that he spent most of the time sulking and wearing black, nobody noticed that he wasn't mourning Mr. Johnson and that he didn't care. Wheatley bit into his donut, having finally reached the jelly center, and sipped his coffee. He had arrived early that morning and it wasn't even lunchtime yet, but Wheatley had a feeling it was going to be another late night._

_The demands for the patches for the GLaDOS program were coming in faster than Wheatley would dish them out. Whenever he found some spare time, he worked on his little side project that Miss Caroline specially request him to do. She didn't explain why, but Wheatley wasn't one to argue. Not knowingly, anyway. Wheatley finished the patch and saved his work. To keep him from getting into another confrontation with Smith, the lab guys told Wheatley to just let the mail kid bring the patches and updates down to the labs from now on._

_Wheatley thought it was strange that no one had reprimanded him for his actions. On any other day, Wheatley would be sitting across from Caroline as she wrote up her report while praying her dog didn't attack him. Wheatley started to believe Smith got on everyone else's nerves as well. Through the office grapevine, Wheatley learned how most people stood on the incident._

"_Pendleton shouldn't have held back. If it were me, I would have waited until they let me go and then gone back for more." whispered one of the tech guys in the cubicle behind Wheatley. _

"_That Smith is such a jerk. If you ask me, he had it coming." whispered the Front Office Girl to one of her colleagues as Wheatley passed them on his way to lunch later that day._

"_This isn't the first complaint I've had about Mr. Smith, but it's the first time someone's actually reacted to his chiding. I might have to personally look into this matter." said Caroline to her secretary._

"_Who knew Pendleton had it in him?" whispered McIntyre to Darzi (they always sat together at lunchtime). _

"_With all the crap Pendleton's dealt with…something just had to give. There are some lines you just don't cross." remarked Darzi as he bit into his sandwich._

"_You're a celebrity around here, Pendleton." said Harvey, as he sat with Wheatley at his table in the break room. Today, it was Harvey's turn to buy lunch. Wheatley appreciated Harvey buying him lunch, but since Wheatley's diet consisted of mainly burgers and fries lately, Wheatley had to try and look enthusiastic. "Everyone is talking about the incident! Someone finally had the nerve to take him down a few notches. I heard Smith is afraid to even mention your name!"_

_Wheatley didn't know if he should feel good about the incident. He had always tried to be peaceful and friendly to everyone, but now the entire facility was talking about him like he was the new school yard bully. Wheatley dealt with bullies all his life and vowed to never become one. Harvey handed Wheatley a soda and smiled. "You don't seem to be too happy about it, Pendleton." Harvey murmured as he unwrapped his burger._

"_How can I be? Everyone is acting like I saved the day when the worst I did was break his nose." Wheatley nibbled on a fry and watched as people avoided his table. "I don't know what happened, Harvey. It felt like everything came at me all at once and I just…snapped. The only thing going through my mind was 'Why aren't I punching this guy harder?' and then I'd start punching harder!" Wheatley sighed and held his head in his hands. "Only bad things can come of this. I should go apologize…"_

_As Wheatley started getting up, Harvey stopped him. "Are you crazy, Pendleton? Smith isn't exactly the most understanding guy. Even if you do apologize, he'll just start up again. Or he might see this as his chance to get back at you. Right now, the best you can do is hope this whole thing blows over. The higher ups aren't exactly happy about this from what I hear and I heard Miss Caroline is scheduling a meeting with Smith and his superiors. This could either get him severely reprimanded, or cost him his job."_

_Wheatley got a sinking feeling as Harvey mentioned that last part so cheerfully. Wheatley never intended to cost anyone their job. The last thing he wanted was to hurt anyone…intentionally, anyway. Wheatley sighed and tried to eat his lunch as Harvey changed the subject to a girl he started hitting on at the bar the other night._

_In the doorway of the break room, Smith stood, arms crossed, watching Wheatley. His face had been cleaned, though adorned with a few bandages and a big bandage on his nose where the medical staff had to realign it. In his arms, he held a folder tightly. The folder was overflowing with paper and had to be kept closed with a rubber band. On the flap, the words "Personality Construct Applicants" was printed in black marker._

Dr. Rattmann left Wheatley staring at the wall as he began to look again. He noticed Wheatley had started looking again and chuckled, trying to break the awkward silence. "Tell me about Lil." Dr. Rattmann said slyly as he lifted a broken partition. Wheatley blushed softly and put down the piece of broken desk he was holding.

"Lil? Oh, she's amazing, mate. She took me in when she could have left me where I was. I was confused, still getting used to being squishy and the only friend I had made was Tiny Human. Lil didn't have to do anything for me. But out of the kindness of her heart, she took me in and over time, my respect for her turned into love, I guess." Wheatley chuckled softly and leaned against the wall. With a happy sigh, Wheatley went back over to Dr. Rattmann and helped moved some pieces of wall off the floor. "She's stubborn, like…like her mother, I guess. But that's part of her charm."

As Wheatley rattled on, Dr. Rattmann put his ear to the wall. Maybe it was his dwindling sanity, but Dr. Rattmann could have sworn he heard the sound of childish singing accompanied by a mechanical zipping. Dr. Rattmann looked over at Wheatley, who hadn't stopped talking. "…and our first night together, oh man alive! She did this thing with her mouth and her tongue that…"

"Be quiet!" Dr. Rattmann shouted as he put his ear to the wall. "I hear something. Those cheap idiots had these walls made paper thin. I could always hear the maintenance workers through these walls. Always hearing them talking about anything…but now…I hear singing…"

Wheatley cocked an eyebrow and went back to looking. Something told him to go closer to the cubicle in the corner as Dr. Rattmann hummed along to whatever he was hearing in the wall. Wheatley shook his head and left Dr. Rattmann to whatever it was he was doing. "Over the river and through the woods…"

_Meanwhile, in the maintenance areas_

"…to grandmother's house we go!" Angie sang as she skipped behind the construct. She wasn't sure how it was working, or why it had suddenly slowed down, but Angie wasn't complaining. "So, where did you say we were going again?" Angie asked, as if actually expecting a response back. The construct said nothing, but it did estimate the time in which they would arrive at their destination. Angie wasn't quite sure why the ball had chosen this place. Angie was hoping it would take her to Lil, so she could rescue her.

Angie mimicked a game of hopscotch as she followed the core. "You don't talk as much as Mr. ATLAS and Miss Pee-Bee. I can't understand them, but they are robots, like you are." Angie sang as the construct kept going along its rail. "Mr. ATLAS is strong. He lifted up the couch for me when my little rubber ball rolled under it. Lil wasn't very happy to come home and see that, though." Angie looked up and became somewhat frustrated that one of her "toys" had finally come to life but had yet to engage her in conversation. "You know, Princess Sprinkles talked more than you did before that mean robot thing tore her apart trying to kidnap Lil. You might have liked Princess Sprinkles. Of course, Miss Molly Dolly might be more your type."

Humming softly, Angie could hear the clanks and whistles of the factory. It reminded her of a field trip she took with her class once to see a metal factory. She found it quite boring, but if it had been more like this place, she might not have been reprimanded by the teacher for shouting "BORING!" really loudly near the end of the tour.

"What do you think Mr. Wheatley and Grandpa are doing?" Angie asked, after turning a few corners with the construct. "Probably something fun. Ever since we got here, it's been 'stay with the androids' or 'don't touch that' or 'don't poke Mr. Wheatley with a stick while he's still out cold'. Rules, rules, rules…"

The construct stopped at a door and turned around at Angie. "Do you want me to open this door?" she asked softly. The construct did nothing. Angie opened the door and went through. The construct zoomed over the door through a hole in the wall and continued to lead the way. Angie saw a long flight of stairs that twisted down into the factory. She could hear the hum of machinery pretty well now. "Okay, let's go!" she shouted happily as she started climbing down the stairs.

Each floor had a number on each door on each landing. Angie wanted so badly to open each door and see what was behind them. She imagined, like in those old cartoons, she'd open a door and see crazy things, like someone bathing, or a party going on that stops when someone opens the door, or even a train coming full speed that didn't stop until she closed the door. But Angie followed the construct, wanting to see where it was leading her and why.

Angie had remembered seeing P-Body up at night repairing the construct in the living room with ordinary household products. Even though Lil was mad that parts from the toaster were missing and the motor from the refrigerator had been torn out, Angie never told anyone she had spied on P-Body fixing a small metal ball. Wheatley probably would have believed her, but Lil…well, Lil would just get mad. Still, Angie never found out if she had finished. Apparently, she did.

"Mr. Metal Ball, are we almost there? I'm tired." Angie whined, as she stopped to sit on a landing. The metal ball did not respond. It did, however, stop when it became obvious the rail was broken. Angie caught it as it popped off its rail.

Without knowing what else to do, Angie held the construct tightly as its eye zoomed around. "Miss Pee-Bee did a good job rebuilding you." Angie whispered as she hugged the construct. "I saw her take apart the toaster just for a piece that would fit. I wonder why you decided to turn on now, though, Mr. Metal Ball. Grandpa said you used to be Mr. Wheatley. You know, I think Miss Pee-Bee has a crush on Mr. Wheatley!" Angie giggled as she stood up.

The construct's eye focused on Angie and blinked. "She likes Mr. Wheatley, but she loves Mr. ATLAS." Angie giggled as she tossed the construct into the air and caught it. The emergency lights flickered softly as Angie stood up. "Well, I guess I'll lead the way from now on." She sang as she started skipping again.

Before she could move two steps, Angie felt the floor shake, along with a horrible screaming sound. She held the construct tightly and whimpered. No, she couldn't chicken out. She had to be brave. She had to go save Lil and make it back before Wheatley and Dr. Rattmann realized she was gone. "Come on, Mr. Metal Ball…we have to go save Lil…"

_Meanwhile, in the Central A.I. Chamber_

"No, no, NO!" shouted GLaDOS as the lights flickered on and off. The power surge knocked back GLaDOS's plans a few hours, but by the sounds of the clicking noises over the loud speaker, it sounded like she was close to getting the power restored. That is, until something short circuited and blew a fuse somewhere in the facility. Lil sat on the floor of her glass box, watching as her captor coiled around, shouting commands into thin air. Lil had been awakened when the power went out and the only thing lighting the chamber now was the emergency lights.

Lil said nothing. She wondered if GLaDOS knew she was awake. Lil decided she didn't have time to waste on such thoughts and started to look around. From what she could see, the automatic doors near the far side of the chamber were malfunctioning. Closing and opening at random as the lights flickered. Lil watched the door staunchly, knowing she had one shot at this, but this computer that kept her prisoner was still watching her like a hawk. Even so, how would she get out of the glass box?

GLaDOS coiled around to Lil, who looked away. "Don't give me that look." shouted GLaDOS. "As soon as the power comes back on, we'll begin the procedure. I know you're as eager as I am."

"What procedure?" asked Lil, looking over at GLaDOS. "I just figured you were going to make me run those idiotic tests again until I died."

"A wonderful plan, but no. Sorry to disappoint you, Test Subject, but your testing is over. Congratulations, you are exactly what I need." The answer sounded anxious and rushed. Lil cocked an eyebrow and went back to meditating on the situation. "Tell me about her…" murmured GLaDOS after a long pause.

"About who?" asked Lil.

"About…her…your mother, who else?" GLaDOS was sounding less anxious at this moment. Lil stood up and walked over to the glass. "She left a long time ago. Obviously she found other humans and spawned you and your sister. I just want to know…how you ever survived with that lunatic as your mother."

Lil chuckled. She could tell GLaDOS wasn't sincere in calling her mother a lunatic, but she was anxious about hearing about her, like she was getting an update on an old friend. "Well, I wouldn't call my mother a lunatic by any means, but she was a little weird. She did talk, just not as often as one normally would. Perhaps she spent too much time here…and she preferred to stay silent." Lil glared at the super computer, who coiled away like a child being punished. "She was a good mom. She was always home whenever I came home from school and she kept me and Angie out of trouble. On Fridays, she'd make chocolate cake for dessert and on Saturdays, she used to take me and Angie to the park. She liked the outdoors a lot. She started a garden on the roof of our building and grew tons of vegetables…she certainly had a green thumb…"

"Green thumb?" asked GLaDOS. "I had a feeling she would catch something up there, but gangrene was never something I imagined she'd catch."

Lil laughed softly. She wasn't sure why, but GLaDOS was starting to act weird. The horrible super computer that kidnapped her now seemed to have the mentality of a child about Angie's age. Lil wasn't very computer savvy, so diagnosing a giant super computer was way out of her field of expertise. "Green thumb means she was good with plants. She grew her plants without the help of pesticides to keep pests away."

GLaDOS looked at Lil standing there in her glass box. "What else? Tell me more." GLaDOS urged. Lil then came up with an idea. She knew gaining the trust of this computer was out of the question. Maybe she could lull GLaDOS and escape while she was distracted. But first, she'd need a way out of this glass box.

"My mom liked to wear dresses, which is probably where my sister, Angie, gets it from. It was rare that I saw her wear pants. I remember going shopping with her once and all she bought was dresses and skirts. I remember one of the only times she wore jeans was when we took a family vacation to the mountains and we went hiking. But other than that, dresses, dresses, dresses. I never cared for dresses, but she was always trying to put me in one for one reason or another." Lil folded her arms and watched as GLaDOS coiled around. "You know, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you miss her." Lil teased.

GLaDOS's optic widened and her voiced boomed loudly. "I do NOT miss that lunatic! Do you know how much damage she and that idiot you…cavorted with did while they were here? Obviously not as much damage as he's done to you, according to the medical scans I did of you while you were asleep…I'll need to take care of that before the transfer…"

Lil cocked and eye brow and placed her hands on her hips. "Take care of what? And what transfer?" asked Lil.

"Nothing…forget I said anything." said GLaDOS as the lights flickered on and off. "Oh look at that…" GLaDOS coiled around and looked at Lil. "The power will come back on momentarily. I found the problem."

Lil didn't like the sound of what GLaDOS had planned. It was now or never. As soon as GLaDOS turned away, Lil picked up the nightstand next to her relaxation bed. It wasn't as heavy as it looked and went farther than Lil thought it would once she threw it and it when through the glass. Knowing she'd catch GLaDOS's attention, Lil decided not to waste any time.

The moment the glass smashed and the nightstand landed only a few feet away, GLaDOS coiled back around and saw Lil making a run for the malfunctioning door. An angry grunt came from GLaDOS as metal claws descended from the ceiling, attempting to grab Lil. Lil knew the power was trying to come back on, which made her run faster. "GET BACK HERE!" she shouted as the claws grabbed at Lil. Lil dodged each obstacle that the computer threw at her. Lil wished she had the portal gun at that moment; it would have made the entire escaping concept a whole lot easier.

The panels from around the chamber launched out of the walls and tried their hardest to block Lil. Like a rat in a maze, Lil started getting a bit disoriented as she leaped over one panel and ducked under another. "I won't let you get away. We had an agreement, remember?" the giant computer was oddly calm at this point. Lil did remember the agreement, but had no doubt the computer would go back on it at a moment's notice. Lil had to find her sister and get out of here. "Where will you run to? Your idiot is dead, he can't help you. You belong to me…"

Lil grunted as she dodged another panel. "Your mother belonged to me, you belong to me and soon so will your sister. You can't escape…you're going the wrong way…"

Lil saw the malfunctioning door open wide and started running. She ran with everything she had. The door wasn't far, but to Lil, it might as well been a hundred miles away. Lil summoned everything she had and ran for the door as it slowly started closing. "Keep going…" she muttered to herself. "You can't give up. KEEP GOING, MCLAIN!" she shouted to herself, just as her old high school gym teacher used to. With one loud scream, Lil made use of her boots and used them to make a big leaping bound at the door just as it closed.

It closed right in front of her as the power came back on and a metal claw grabbed Lil's waist. Kicking and screaming, Lil was lifted from the ground and right in front of GLaDOS. "Oh, I think you caught some of his stupid, Test Subject." She mocked as a panel opened up and a transport tube emerged. "Because of the outage, I have to start reconfiguring everything. I didn't want to do this, but you leave me no choice. I'm putting you in solitary confinement until it is time. And we were getting along so well…"

GLaDOS let go of Lil and the tube sucked her in. GLaDOS listened to Lil scream as she was being transported to parts unknown.

_In the Offices_

Much to Wheatley's sadness, the cubicle was now a pile of wood in front of a chair. Wheatley stood in front of the pile and watched as the phantom of himself twirled around in the chair, probably trying to hinder off boredom. He sighed softly as the phantom of a gangly young man wearing a black button down shirt, no tie, and khakis in a pair of blue converse sneakers flashed before him. Wheatley was still having trouble comprehending that this was in fact once him.

He watched as the phantom reached into a drawer and pulled out a jewel CD case and then watched it dissipate along with the phantoms of the office personal surrounding him. Wheatley bent down and reached into the remains of the desk. Not having to move much, Wheatley decided to risk a few splinters and pulled out the same jewel CD case. The words on the case looked weather worn and no longer resembled letters but now little symbols as if from a long extinct civilization.

"Dr. Rattmann!" Wheatley shouted, turning around. Dr. Rattmann looked up from his excavation and smiled as Wheatley held the disk up, waving it around. Wheatley made his way around the rubble and toward Dr. Rattmann, who was happily running his way. "I think this is it." Wheatley said sadly.

Dr. Rattmann nodded happily and took the disk slowly. "We have to head back soon. The power is starting to come back. We don't have much time."

Wheatley was starting to wish he'd stop saying that and followed Dr. Rattmann out of the offices. As they left, the sound of the power coming back on could be heard around them. Wheatley came to the stairwell and looked below. Everything was starting back up again. He could hear the air in the tubes all around. He looked up just in time to see Lil zoom past in one of the tubes. "Lil?" Wheatley shouted as the screaming passed by. Wheatley handed the CD to Dr. Rattmann and gave chase.

Hoping he was hallucinating, Wheatley took a leap of faith and jumped over the railing and onto the walkway below. He watched the suction in the tube slow down a bit and got a good look. "LIL!" Wheatley shouted again as he started running. He could hear Lil scream as she started traveling faster. Dr. Rattmann, still on the walkway above, followed as best he could. Dr. Rattmann placed the CD case in his lab coat pocket and gave chase as Wheatley started running.

Not quite sure how he was going to do so, Wheatley followed the tube in an effort to catch up. "Don't worry, Lil, I'm coming!" he shouted as he ran along the catwalk beside the tube. Dr. Rattmann followed behind as fast as he could. Having a limp, giving chase was painful and he had to stop occasionally.

"We won't be able to catch her this way!" he shouted, out of breath. "We'll need to cut her off at one of the intersections. I know where this one is headed. We need to get there and reroute it. Breaking the tube while she's going that fast…well, it won't end well for her."

"Where is it taking her?" Wheatley shouted as he stopped. Dr. Rattmann shrugged. "I don't know if the answer will be pleasant or not, so I'm going to reframe from telling you. Come on, we have to get to the intersection and reroute it to a different drop off." Wheatley ran after Dr. Rattmann, who could have sworn he heard the childish singing again.

_In the Factory_

Angie hummed softly as the power came back on. "Mr. Metal Ball, the lights are back." She whispered, holding the construct tightly. Angie held onto the construct tightly as she made her way along the stairway toward a big door. There was a sign on it. Angie squinted and ran towards it happily. "Something tells me Lil is here somewhere."

Running to the door, Angie tried her best to read the sign. "GLA…GLA…DOS…Emer…emer…emergen…emergency…shut down and…cake dispen…dispensary…"

With a big smile, Angie reached her little hand up and turned the knob. "Did you see that, Mr. Metal Ball?" she asked the construct happily as the opened the door. "Cake! I like cake. I'm not sure what the other stuff means, but I'm really hungry."

Entering the doorway, Angie noticed a long hallway with glass windows. The door slammed shut behind her and locked. Something about this gave Angie a very bad feeling, but she kept going. The thought of saving Lil and having cake was the only thing keeping her going. "You're getting heavy, Mr. Metal Ball." Angie whined as she placed the construct down softly. She stretched her arms out, not realizing the danger she had just put herself in by being in this lobby.

The security cameras above went unnoticed as the child stretched her tired arms. The red light on the cameras beeping softly and the lens focusing on the small child below, Angie had no idea she was being watched, but got the feeling there was more than cake at the end of the hallway. The lobby like area was dark for the most part and only had a wooden chair in the middle of the floor. Angie sat on the chair with her construct, thinking this was a weird spot for a chair. Right in the middle of the floor, looking directly at the hallway, the chair just sat innocently.

"We'll rest a bit before going in. I'm sure Lil won't mind if we take a little cake break, right Mr. Metal Ball?" Angie asked. The construct just stared at her, blinking softly and making small beeping noises. Angie then felt a tug come from the floor and then the sound of an alarm. "Wha…what's going on?" she shouted as the floor began to move. Angie held the construct tightly and stayed put as the chair started to slowly move along with the floor.

The floor, akin to the moving sidewalks Angie had seen at museums and such, moved slowly at first, stopping every so often as if trying to power itself back on. It tugged along for a few seconds, stopping and going, stopping and going, until it final started going full speed. Angie screamed and held onto the construct tightly as the chair zoomed down the glass hallway at full speed. "What's going on, Mr. Metal Ball?" Angie shouted as the chair passed through a series of automatic doors.

"Stop the ride! Please!" Angie shouted as she passed through another automatic door. Each one seemed to open up just as she was zooming through, though still caused her panic as if they were about to crash into one. She screamed louder as it seemed they were reaching the end of the line. The last automatic door opened slowly as the chair slowed down. It finally came to a complete stop as the door closed behind and Angie got off. The chair zoomed away, making Angie chase it. It was then she noticed some glass come down and close her in. Where was she?

Angie tried to fight the frightened tears as her glass box started moving. Angie put the construct down and started banging on the glass walls, which was all she could think to do. The glass box then entered a big chamber, which was dark save for a few lights hanging from the ceiling. When it came to a complete stop, Angie grabbed the construct and held it tightly as what she thought to be a monster coiled in front of her, looking at her curiously as the box came to a complete stop.

"Well, well…what have we here?" GLaDOS hummed as she got a closer look to the box. Angie backed herself away as the glass box stopped in the middle of the room. "Oh my, a smaller version of…" GLaDOS stopped herself and coiled around, trying to collect herself.

Angie couldn't control her tears now, which were flowing like a waterfall. "Do you know how much trouble you humans are causing me? All I want is to fix the problem, but now I have to wait longer because of the power outage. I know it had to be caused by an outside source…but since I know that idiot is dead, you must have done it…"

GLaDOS loomed overhead and stared down at the child with her yellow optic. "Look at all the work I have to redo now because of you! You…you're a monster, just like…" GLaDOS stopped herself again, her anger resonating from the speakers. "Well, you're too small to attempt an escape, so I at least have the solace of doing away with you before you cause more trouble." GLaDOS launched a metal claw into the glass box and lifted Angie up, separating her from her construct. Angie screamed and kicked, trying to swing her way out of the grip. The metal claw gripped Angie by her collar.

"So small…and frail…I could do horrible things to you…I wonder how much pressure your body can handle before it explodes…" GLaDOS asked sadistically. The panels around the room stared at the center with their red lights focused on Angie. "Yes…watching you pop like a small bubble will be most informative. Or maybe…"

Angie started crying softly, no longer able to hold back her little tears. It was then GLaDOS stopped talking and the red lights faded into a softly blue color. "What is this? What are you doing?" GLaDOS demanded as she coiled around to try and avoid the sound of the crying child. "Stop that now…"

Something inside GLaDOS made her take a long look at Angie. What was this feeling? On any given day, she would have thrown less whiney things down the incinerator chute, but this child was different. GLaDOS forced open the incinerator hatch and held the child over it. "Stop making that noise or this will be most unpleasant." GLaDOS shouted, softly shaking Angie. This made Angie cry louder. "Your mother didn't make this much noise…of course, she didn't make much noise at all. Stop it…stop it now…"

GLaDOS held Angie up closer and tried to scan the child. Something in her hardware made her stop and close the incinerator hatch. "Please…small one, stop…" GLaDOS cooed softly as she set the child down in her glass box. What was this coming over GLaDOS? This felt familiar, yet terribly unwanted. The more GLaDOS tried to fight it, the stronger it grew. "No more tears, child…"

Angie wiped her eyes and sniffled softly. "See? All better…no more tears…" GLaDOS cooed. "Want to see something fun?" she asked, launching a metal claw into the glass box. GLaDOS picked up the construct as Angie reached for it. Angie couldn't see what GLaDOS was doing, but she heard sounds of machinery being worked on at a very fast pace.

"Give me back Mr. Metal Ball!" Angie shouted with her hands pressed against the glass.

GLaDOS did as the child requested and softly gave her back the construct. "Press the eye…" GLaDOS cooed. Angie did just that, and smiled softly as music started to play. "I sang that song to your mother when she left long ago. This lullaby…was my final gift to her." GLaDOS said sadly, as Angie hugged the construct.

"You…you knew my Mommy?" asked Angie. GLaDOS made a nodding motion and the lights dimmed softly.

"Yes, I did. I took care of her. I made sure she was healthy and always did what she needed to do. I may have been…strict with her, but it was only out of love. You understand, don't you, child?" GLaDOS sounded like she was pleading for forgiveness. Angie wasn't sure exactly what was going on, but remembered Dr. Rattmann saying that a giant computer was sick. "I was never going to harm her. I needed her as much as she needed me, maybe more…but now she's gone…"

Angie sniffled a bit and pressed her hand against the glass. "You took care of my Mommy? Does that mean you were her mom?" Angie asked innocently. GLaDOS seemed somewhat taken aback by the child's question and coiled away for a bit.

GLaDOS looked at the child again. "Yes…yes it does. In a strange, cosmic way, I _was_ her mother…which would also make me…" GLaDOS stared down at Angie, as the lullaby ended and the construct shut its eye. If GLaDOS could smile, she would. GLaDOS wasn't sure what this warm feeling was that was going through her systems, but something stopped her from harming Angie. Whatever it was, GLaDOS found herself liking it very much and picked Angie out of the glass box softly.

"…which makes me…your grandmother…" GLaDOS cooed as she placed the child down softly beneath her.

Using a metal claw, GLaDOS stroked the little girl's hair softly. Angie looked up at the giant machine hanging over her. Angie didn't know why, but she felt safe and placed the construct down. When GLaDOS came down slowly to examine Angie closer, Angie hugged her. GLaDOS wanted to demand the child stop, but couldn't. She liked this, but didn't know why.

"Grandpa said you were sick…that you needed to be fixed." Angie cooed softly as GLaDOS lifted her softly from the ground.

"Grandpa?" asked GLaDOS as Angie climbed onto GLaDOS's chassis.

"The man that lives in the walls. He looked after Mom too. You don't live with him? Shouldn't grandparents live together?" Angie asked, innocently.

"We…had a bit of a falling out years ago if he is the man I think you're referring to." GLaDOS muttered. Angie giggled softly and perched herself on top of GLaDOS.

Angie watched as GLaDOS grabbed the construct music box and gave it to Angie. "Mr. Wheatley said your name was Glad-Us." Angie said with a yawn.

"Well, he'd be wrong if he pronounced it like that." scolded GLaDOS as Angie activated the construct music box again. "But my name is unimportant. Why don't you just call me…Grandma?"

With a giggle mixed with a yawn, Angie cuddled up to the construct as it played its music. "Grandma…I'm tired…" Angie yawned softly. GLaDOS shushed the child and picked her off of her chassis. Using a silent command, GLaDOS made a relaxation bed appear from behind another panel. It disturbed GLaDOS how trusting this child was to a giant machine who not a few moments ago was about to throw her down a fire chute. But for some odd reason, GLaDOS didn't care.

GLaDOS placed Angie down in the relaxation bed and covered her with a blanket that just happened to be with it. "Go to sleep, small one. We can play tomorrow." GLaDOS cooed softly as Angie hugged the construct music box close.

The music was starting to slow down. Angie yawned softly. "Promise, Grandma?" she asked. GLaDOS made a nodding motion and started to sing softly.

_Cara bel, cara mia bella _

_Mia bambina, oh ciel _

_Ché la stima_

_Ché la stima _

_O cara mia, addio_

Angie yawned softly and snuggled into the relaxation bed. Hugging the construct tightly as GLaDOS sang softly. "My mom used to hum this song…" Angie whispered as she started to drift off to sleep.

"I'm flattered she appreciated my gift to her…" GLaDOS cooed as the construct music box started to get slower.

_La mia bambina cara... _

_perché non passi lontana? _

_Sì, lontana da Scienza _

_Cara, cara mia bambina... _

_Ah, mia bella _

_Ah, mia cara_

_Ah, mia cara _

_Ah, mia bambina _

_Oh cara, cara mia..._

The construct music box slowly stopped as Angie drifted off to sleep. GLaDOS watched over the child and looked around. "Grandmother…" she whispered softly as she watched Angie sleep. "That lunatic spawned such smart children. Well, this is wonderful. Now I'm emotionally attached to something. Just great…" GLaDOS sighed. She didn't know what was wrong, but she didn't care now. "I don't give you humans much credit, do I?"

GLaDOS looked around again and started shouting commands at her nanobot workers and escort bots. They had never heard commands like this before. Make toys out of scraps? Why would GLaDOS need toys? What could she be planning? They stopped asking questions when she threatened them with incineration.

She wasn't going to tell them, but she had something planned. "I know that idiot is still alive, and I know he won't stop until he's found you and your sister. He'll disrupt everything and take you from me. I won't have that. No, I won't let that happen." GLaDOS murmured softly. She watched Angie sleep softly and let go of the construct as she shifted. GLaDOS picked up the construct and looked it over.

Angie slept softly, unknowing of the true danger she was in.

* * *

><p><strong>N'cha, everyone! Hurray, chapter 23 is here!<strong>

**This chapter is going in all sorts of directions, huh? Yeah, this chapter went a little better than my last one, I must confess. I discovered something weird. I write best when I'm listening to the right kind of music. My last chapter, I didn't really listen to anything because my mood at the time of writing it was unfavorable. I apologize for that and if there is any way I can make it better just let me know.**

**So, as it has been stated before, GLaDOS's out of character personality is a product of her systems and programing starting to fail. So, don't get all bent out of shape if something about her acting like this makes you mad. It's all a part of the story. Of course, the acting grandmotherly might be Caroline trying to gain control again…or is it? Ohhh, I'm not telling, you'll just have to keep reading, my dears. I don't kiss and tell haha (well, no that's a lie, but still).**

**As a thank you for your patience in my insanity and such, this chapter is a two for one deal so to speak. I am also uploading a short story to the BioShock area for your bibliophilic pleasure. Will I continue it? I don't know yet. It depends on the response I get for it. But let me say this: even if I do finish it, it won't be until after I finish Reconstructing Humanity. You don't have to worry about me losing interest and abandoning it. I have other fics I want to do/finish, so I have a lot riding right now. Right now, Reconstructing Humanity is my main project.**

**Next chapter won't be as everywhere as this one. Next chapter will focus solely on Wheatley trying to rescue Lil from…wherever the transport tube is taking her.**

**Well, as always my loves, review and be merry. I enjoy all reviews and I hope to hear from you all. I like to know how I'm doing, so please send me a review and let me know. I appreciate everyone's patience with me as I write this and I hope I gave everyone a good experience. Only a few chapters to go, so speak now or forever hold your peace 3**

**GLaDOS, Wheatley, and Dr. Rattmann belong to Valve.**


	24. En Route

_Reconstructing Humanity_

En Route

"WHEEEEEE!"

Angie swung happily from a mechanical arm as GLaDOS looked on, feeling an odd sense of pride. She didn't know why, but watching this child smile and enjoy herself gave GLaDOS a good feeling. It was like someone had gone into her systems and pressed the euphoric release switch over and over again. If she could, GLaDOS would be smiling.

Angie had awoken from her short nap not too long ago, ready to play like GLaDOS had promised. For the most part, GLaDOS was a super computer of her word. Toys made from old parts adorned the floor of the Central A.I. Chamber, along with countless papers strewn about with drawings on them. GLaDOS watched in intrigue as Angie drew each picture. Most of the toys and child related things GLaDOS had dug out of the old daycare wing of the facility, but the toys that Angie seemed to enjoy were the ones GLaDOS had made from old parts. They were inspected vigorously by GLaDOS personally and if deemed unsafe, the toy would be promptly thrown into the incinerator…along with the bot that made it.

As Angie swung from the mechanical arm, GLaDOS inspected each of the pictures that the child had drawn with crayons from the daycare wing. Angie was surprisingly artistic for a six-year-old and the things she drew actually somewhat looked like the things she was trying to convey. GLaDOS, using a free metal claw, picked up one drawing in particular. "What is this one?" she asked as Angie stopped swinging.

The crayon picture consisted of two adults and a little girl. The adult female (GLaDOS assumed was Lil) was wearing black while the adult male (GLaDOS assumed Wheatley) was much taller wearing a lot of blue and glasses. All of them stood with over-exaggerated smiles under a bright yellow sun with an equally over-exaggerated smile. "That's a picture of Lil and Mr. Wheatley and Me!" Angie giggled as GLaDOS softly let her down.

Angie sat under GLaDOS and picked up more crayons and a blank sheet of paper. GLaDOS was happy at the overabundance of printer paper the bots had found in the offices. GLaDOS watched as Angie drew something else. It took a few minutes and Angie crumbled up many sheets of paper, but after a while, she finished her newest piece. "Look, Grandma, it's you!" Angie shouted happily.

GLaDOS looked over the drawing and squinted her optic a bit. It did, remarkably, look like her, at least from a six-year-olds point of view. Though GLaDOS found herself fighting the urge to criticize the child's lack of perspective and use of color, but deep in her hardware, something just made her chuckle and give praise to the child.

GLaDOS sighed softly and patted Angie on the head, watching as the child drew another picture, this time of two other individuals. The girl in the picture was primarily orange and the boy was primarily blue. Angie giggled happily as she finished. "Mr. ATLAS and Miss Pee-Bee!" Angie shouted, holding up the drawing for GLaDOS to see.

"Ahh, yes…Blue and Orange…I sent them out there to keep an eye on the idiot." GLaDOS murmured. GLaDOS looked down and watched the child swing her feet as she drew. Next to Angie sat her music box construct, which Angie placed a few crayons in front of, as if wanting it to draw with her.

"Grandpa said Mr. Metal Ball used to be Mr. Wheatley." Angie said off-handedly. "I like Mr. Metal Ball, but he's not as fun as Mr. Wheatley. I could draw with Mr. Wheatley."

GLaDOS chuckled softly. "But could he play music when you pressed his eye?" she asked.

Angie giggled and sat up, picking up the construct. "No, I did that once and he just yelped loudly. He didn't want to play with me much after that."

Angie colored another picture in and giggled. "I miss Mr. Wheatley…" she murmured. GLaDOS stared down at the child as she colored the picture. It was obviously of Wheatley and GLaDOS felt something twinge inside of her that made her optic glare as each crayon stroke grazed across the white paper. Each stroke made GLaDOS angrier. "He was funny. One time, Lil asked him to make her a pop tart and he got his fingers stuck in the toaster. Lil had to run to the kitchen and unplug the toaster before he burnt his fingers."

GLaDOS chuckled softly and looked down again. "Tell me more." She asked, softly.

Angie giggled and started drawing again. "Well, this one time, Lil was teaching Mr. Wheatley how to shave. She didn't have any guy razors so he had to use her pink ones that she uses to shave her legs. Mr. Wheatley wouldn't stop talking, so she had to close his lips with her fingers. I watched her show him how to shave. He was doing pretty well at first, but then he got distracted by something and cut his face. Lil had to finish the rest of his face because he wouldn't stop screaming. It was funny."

Making sure Angie was occupied, GLaDOS decided to check on a something. A little side project…a little present for her beloved "Granddaughter"…

_Meanwhile, Within the Enrichment Center_

Lil's frightened screams echoed throughout the Center, as she cascaded within the transport tubes to parts unknown. Wheatley ran feverishly after Lil as she zoomed by, yelling her name. Dr. Rattmann limped slowly after the gangly man. Dr. Rattmann was sure Wheatley had no idea what he was doing. Wheatley stopped to rest against the hand rails. "She's going too fast." He shouted, breathlessly. Dr. Rattmann limped toward Wheatley and sighed softly.

"We'll need to redirect them to go as close to the garden as possible. We have to be careful, though. Even back here, the tubes are still under _HER_ control." Dr. Rattmann muttered as he continued to walk past Wheatley. The transport tubes literally went everywhere. Knowing which one Lil would be in at any given time was next to impossible. "I know where we can find a redirection console. It's not too far, but you'll have to be at the other end of the transport tube to catch her wherever she lands."

Wheatley nodded and followed Dr. Rattmann along the walkway. Along the walkway, they found a small room with a computer console in it. It wasn't impressive, but it had to do. Dr. Rattmann used his walking stick to break open the glass door and get inside. He turned on the console as he reached into his lab coat pocket. "I found these on the androids when we first brought you back to the garden. They should still be tuned into the proper frequency" He murmured, tossing a walky-talky to Wheatley. "We can keep in contact with each other. The transport tubes will identify Lil as an obstruction and will tell me where she's going."

Dr. Rattmann typed on the console's keyboard and watched the screen turn into what Wheatley could only surmise was a map. Dr. Rattmann pointed to a certain point. "We need to get her here. It's a bit of a walk, but I can instruct you. Now get moving. I'll contact if something changes."

Wheatley nodded and started running along the cat walks. Dr. Rattmann pressed a few buttons on the console and redirected Lil's tube. He picked up the walky-talky and turned it on. As soon as he was sure Wheatley's was on, he murmured his directions. "Alright, I redirected her tube. Try to keep up with her in case something changes."

Something inside of GLaDOS's hardware ticked, as if she heard Dr. Rattmann say those words. She brought up the transport tube system information and grumbled at the mess being made of her systems. No longer listening to Angie's story of how Lil had to chase Wheatley for three blocks to rescue him from a pack of small dogs, GLaDOS internally watched as the tubes changed direction, with Lil just going along for the ride.

"Oh, no you don't." GLaDOS muttered, as she instructed the tubes to change again.

Dr. Rattmann picked up the walky-talky and pressed the talk button. "She's found out what we're up to. Stay cautious." He muttered, as he tried to override the systems from the console. "Alright…go left at the next cat walk intersection." Dr. Rattmann shouted into the walky-talky.

Wheatley did just that and found himself right under Lil's tube. Lil opened her eyes for a moment and saw Wheatley. She wasn't sure why, but she felt the need to try and stop herself, but couldn't do it. "Lil! It's alright, Love, I'm coming!" Wheatley shouted as he followed Lil. Lil shouted in horror as her tube made another sharp turn. Wheatley followed suit, trying his hardest to hide how out of breath he was. Undeterred, Wheatley kept running before hitting another intersection.

"Alright, go left this time." said his walky-talky. Wheatley ran left, trying to keep up with Lil. Dr. Rattmann played with the console commands some more. He felt GLaDOS was playing a terrifying game with him, switching which pipes Lil went through at a moment's notice. Dr. Rattmann watched helplessly as another tube rerouted itself, sending Lil screaming into another direction. "Wait, go back and go right!" Dr. Rattmann shouted again into the walky-talky.

Dr. Rattmann watched the tubes on the screen change direction each time he put in a command. A very disturbing game they were playing with Lil's well-being. No matter what command he put in, GLaDOS changed it not more than a few seconds later. It was like playing a demented game of "Pipe Dream" with GLaDOS and neither Dr. Rattmann nor Wheatley could keep up.

Over the walky-talky, Dr. Rattmann could hear Wheatley breathing heavily. Dr. Rattmann grabbed his walking stick and stared at the console. This was either a really good idea or a terrible idea, but either way something had to be done soon or they'd lose Lil to whatever horrible thing GLaDOS had planned for when she reached the other side. As fast as he could type, Dr. Rattmann put in one final command before picking up his walking stick and smashing the console, cutting off GLaDOS's wireless interface with the tubes.

Dr. Rattmann sighed softly and picked up the walky-talky. "I've disabled her interface with the tubes, but that meant disabling the machine entirely. I set the tubes to go as close to the garden as possible. I can read what's left of the map to you. That should make things slightly easier." Dr. Rattmann muttered as he leaned against the wall behind him. He felt himself eat his words as he heard a loud clicking noise behind him.

He then watched as each light systematically went off, one after another. Dr. Rattmann's expression didn't change as he picked up the walky-talky and clicked the communication button. "I take that back…"

Wheatley looked up and a horrible feeling of déjà vu set in. Knowing he couldn't turn on the flashlights in his eyes anymore on account that he didn't have any, Wheatley leaned against the railing and tried to keep himself from sobbing hopelessly. He heard his walky-talky click a few times before hearing _"I'm heading to…garden…you'll have…find…your way…"_ before the signal finally gave. GLaDOS was indeed on to them, and jamming the frequency of the walky-talky. He didn't know how, but now Wheatley was alone in the dark, trying to keep from sobbing his eyes out.

"Oh, man alive…" Wheatley muttered as he sank to the floor. "Lil could be anywhere by now and I have no way of knowing." Wheatley sat on the floor and sighed. "I'm sorry, Love…" he muttered again as he placed the walky-talky by his side.

"I'm sorry, Miss Lady…" he muttered softly. As he muttered his apologies, an orange light caught his attention. Feeling he was finally going crazy, Wheatley glanced over and saw an orange circle on the far off wall. Getting up, Wheatley walked over to the orange circle and noticed it was a portal. Where did it come from? He didn't have a portal gun and the only one he knew of was in the Core Garden. He heard another sound and saw a blue circle open up on a faraway wall.

Squinting, he thought he saw someone walk into the blue circle and a shadow appear out of the orange one. "Hello?" Wheatley shouted. The shadow stopped and looked in Wheatley's direction. Wheatley couldn't tell, but the shadow beckoned him to follow. "Do you…do you want me to come along?" he asked softly. The shadow looked like it was nodding. The shadow pointed to the blue portal and then through. Wheatley sighed and followed.

The lights flickered softly as Wheatley followed the shadow. The shadow watched as Wheatley fumbled out of the portal and stood up. "Listen, whoever you are, I need your help." Wheatley whined to the shadow as it stood before him. "Lil, the girl you probably saw in the tube, is in trouble. I need to catch up to her before something bad happens to her."

The shadow didn't say anything. It kept going along the walkway, as if knowing exactly where to go. Wheatley looked around and felt an odd familiarity to this place. "You probably don't know her, I don't expect you to, but Lil is a very special woman." Wheatley prattled on as the shadow led the way. "She's something…you know, she gave up everything to look after her sister. Tiny Human is pretty amazing, too. She can count all the way to one hundred! That's pretty bloody amazing, if you ask me."

Wheatley watched another orange portal open and a blue one open in the distance. Once again, he followed. The shadow seemed to do this with ease, while Wheatley, barely being able to see in front of him, fumbled about entering each portal. "I didn't want to bring this up, Scary Shadowy Person, but I think we're going the wrong way. Lil's tube went that way." said Wheatley, pointing in what he thought was the right direction. In the dark, it was hard to tell.

Something about this particular walkway rang a few alert bells in Wheatley's brain.

_Oh, brilliant, you made it through, well done._

Wheatley rubbed his head and looked up. What little light that came from the ceiling revealed a management rail. He stared at it for a moment and sighed. Of all the times it would come in handy, now would be one of them. He sighed, watching the phantom of his former core-self zoom along the rail. Wheatley stepped back, expecting the phantom of "Miss Lady" to come lumbering by, but was actually surprised with nothing happened. He noticed the shadow had stopped to wait for him.

"Oh, sorry…" Wheatley muttered as he continued to follow the shadow. "So, who are you?" Wheatley asked as the Shadow blasted another orange portal onto a nearby wall. The shadow didn't say anything. It just disappeared into the orange portal and reappeared on the adjacent wall. Wheatley followed loyally. "Are you a test subject here? Did you escape?" he asked. The shadow did nothing but walk. "I imagine she kept you and your friends in cryo-sleep. I remember hearing the humans mutter about them, but never saw them myself. They put me in charge of the Extended Relaxation Rooms and I was happy with that."

The shadow turned to him and tilted its head. "I guess I was happy. Maybe that's how they programmed me. Can't really recall much before…well, everything just suddenly stopped one day. Most of the humans stopped moving and the other cores were in a panic, but not good Ol' Wheatley, no siree. I kept my wits about me."

The shadow looked like it was making small laughing gestures and continued on. "You remind me of my old friend. She's related to Lil, the girl I mentioned earlier. Miss Lady or Chell if you want to get technical." Wheatley rambled on.

The shadow stopped for a moment. "Nice enough woman. Brave, tenacious, and quiet. Maybe it's all the test subjects lately. I remember the first few I tried to help escape years ago would mutter things and ignore me. This one bloke, Test Subject 124-C, or 'Frank' as his name badge said, didn't listen when I told him to watch out for that big hole. Poor guy, that one. 'You're just as stupid now as you were then' and then swoosh! Right down the hole. He made a pretty loud Ker-plunk sound if I ever heard one."

Stopping for a moment, the shadow made a gesture, as if telling Wheatley to be quiet. He obliged and kept walking.

_Meanwhile_

Angie shook the construct music box as GLaDOS distracted herself. Angie seemed to be getting frustrated with the construct. GLaDOS turned her attention back to the child as she shook the construct harder and harder, making it make a jingle sound.

"What are you doing?" asked GLaDOS, taking the construct away from Angie. "If you shake it, it won't automatically fix it. Didn't that sister of yours ever teach you that?" GLaDOS examined the construct all around. While Angie saw a toy, GLaDOS saw the object of the most intense hatred she had ever been programmed to feel.

"It's broken, Grandma." Angie chirped as GLaDOS looked over the construct. "If Miss Pee-Bee were here, she'd fix it in no time."

"Well, she's not here." GLaDOS scolded as she used metal arms to press the construct eye a few times. It was clearly broken. Only a weird clicking sound came each time GLaDOS pressed the eye. In truth, she made it in haste and probably didn't connect something right. GLaDOS peered down at Angie, who anxiously waited for any news.

GLaDOS hated this feeling, but at the same time, she couldn't get enough. Angie's big eyes staring at her with childish wonder gave GLaDOS a jolt in her systems that she was unfamiliar with. GLaDOS started to wonder if this child knew that the giant computer mounted to the ceiling wasn't truly her grandmother. That'd be a physical impossibility. Despite this minute, insignificant, almost invisible detail, GLaDOS focused her optic at Angie and swelled with pride.

Her only drive right now was to make this child happy. "Don't worry; Grandma will fix your toy." GLaDOS cooed as Angie cheered. GLaDOS wasn't sure exactly how P-Body had fixed it, but as GLaDOS began taking apart the construct, it became obvious that she used mostly spare electronic parts and random household items. Angie watched as GLaDOS made a table appear from behind a panel and placed the construct on it. Angie pointed out certain parts to GLaDOS, like a paper clip and one of Angie's missing bunny hair berets.

It wasn't until GLaDOS dug deeper into the construct's makeshift mechanics that she noticed something shining brightly in the light. Using a metal claw, GLaDOS shifted through the remains of the construct on the table and found a diamond ring wrapped in wires. P-Body had probably placed it there to use as a conduit, but GLaDOS couldn't be sure. As GLaDOS lifted the diamond ring up to view it closely, something overwhelmed her. Her optic went blank…

_A file in hand, Caroline didn't walk with her usual skip. The unpleasantness of the last few weeks seemed to be getting to her. Mr. Johnson was gone, and for some reason, the scientists and the legal department were eyeballing her every chance they got. While she usually liked to keep in touch with all departments, Caroline kept her distance from both the legal department and the scientists working on the super computer that Mr. Johnson had commissioned before his passing._

_While she wanted to call it untimely, his passing, she'd only be lying. His dying could have been seen from the moon. She was also hoping the legal department would dismiss the "Put My Brain in a Super Computer" last wish as the ramblings of a dying madman hopped up on the most powerful pain medication legally attainable._

"_Miss Caroline, the legal department has been knocking down your door all day." said the front office girl, trying to catch up. Caroline sighed and looked at her poor assistant, who looked like she had been keeping the legal department at bay with a metal pole._

"_I know, tell them I'm still at lunch or something, I don't have time to go over anymore of Mr. Johnson's will. Did you know he left his house to the state zoo and had specific instructions that his bedroom be used as a reptile exhibit? I'm not sure if that was a perverted joke on his part, but I've been disputing it for days. Luckily, the zoo has no interest in turning that old mansion into anything." Caroline held her file close as she instructed her assistant to cancel all her meetings and make sure the legal department's representative was nowhere near her office by the time she was done making her usual rounds._

_The front office girl nodded happily and scampered off. Caroline sighed and started walking toward the cubicles. It made her happy seeing everyone going about their work. She would be lying of she said she wasn't slightly jealous of their ignorance to what was going on. She felt the duties she had been left creeping up her spine and decided to distract herself. It wasn't until he heard some mournful humming that she snapped out of her own self-pity._

_Walking to the only cubicle that didn't have someone leaving to go to lunch, Caroline watched as Wheatley pulled a small green box from his desk and opened it. She watched him pull out a little diamond ring and stare at it. Caroline assumed it was meant for Pam and suddenly felt remorseful again. Wheatley had been in her office more than usual since his girlfriend died and Caroline couldn't help but feel his pain. He had gone from a happy ball of sunshine to a miserable mess and it depressed Caroline and many of the other office workers._

_She listened to Wheatley sigh softly and he placed the ring back into its little place. "Oh, Pam…" he whispered softly. "…you would have enjoyed England. I had planned to take you there for our honeymoon. Mum would have loved to meet you. It's lonely without you, Pam…Harvey wants to set me up with one of the office girls, but…I think it's too soon. I miss you, Pam…"_

_Caroline watched as Wheatley placed the ring back in its little box and put it in his pocket. "Mr. Pendleton?" Caroline chirped. Wheatley yelped softly and swung around in his chair to face Caroline. He fumbled about trying not to fall out of his chair. "Miss Caroline! I wasn't daydreaming!" he shouted as he picked himself up._

_With a small smile, Caroline helped Wheatley up. "Don't be frightened, Mr. Pendleton, I'm not here to give you grief. I just wanted to see how you were doing." Wheatley sat back down and pulled the box out of his pocket. He handed it to Caroline and turned to face his computer again._

"_I was going to take her to London for our honeymoon. She used to ask me all the time, 'Will you take me to England someday?' and I'd tell her yes. Pam would have loved it there." Wheatley watched as Caroline looked the ring over. It was obviously expensive and wasn't sure how he could afford it. "I cleaned out my savings down to the last penny to afford that ring. I was planning on selling a kidney to afford the wedding bands." Wheatley's joke was barely funny, even to him. "I would have gone completely bankrupt to give her the wedding of her dreams. She deserved it."_

_As if by instinct, Caroline tried the ring on. Perfect fit; either Caroline and Pam were about the same ring size or Caroline had lost weight. Caroline was happy with both options. "Mr. Pendleton, my invitation for a talk still stands if you need someone to talk to." Caroline put her well-manicured hand on Wheatley's shoulder and smiled her sunniest smile. Wheatley nodded and watched as Caroline took the ring off. He watched as Caroline placed the ring back in its box and smile._

_As she walked away, Wheatley stuffed the box back in his pocket._

**CAROLINE DELETED**

GLaDOS shook herself out of the memory that popped back in. "That is starting to get annoying." She murmured as she put the construct back together. Angie watched eagerly as GLaDOS slowly placed each piece back in place and handed it back to Angie.

As Angie pressed the eye of the construct to make it play happy music, GLaDOS examined the ring closer. "What's that, Grandma?" Angie asked softly as the music slowed down again.

"Open your hand." GLaDOS murmured. Angie did as she was told and watched as GLaDOS softly plopped the ring in Angie's little hand. "Don't lose that. I might need it later." GLaDOS warned. Angie nodded happily and placed the ring in her pocket as she went back to her little drawings.

"Grandma, I'm hungry." Angie whined as she drew a picture of a cake.

GLaDOS chuckled softly and patted the child on the head with a metal claw. "Alright, I guess I'll have something fixed up for you. Your child metabolism will keep you from getting fat like your mother and sister, but since you are indeed a child, I have to keep your nutritional needs in mind. I don't need you tearing this place apart in a sugar induced rampage." GLaDOS said almost mockingly. Using silent commands, GLaDOS ordered her bots to send healthy foods up to her chamber.

Along with humans, the scientists put food and plant samples in stasis as well and GLaDOS had occupied her time by testing the plants. So far, she made a tomato plant that grew tomatoes the size of Angie's head, a blue cucumber, and carrots that grew on trees. Now she'd be able to see if they were edible.

_Within the Enrichment Center_

"…and then I said 'Well, why were you keeping the poor lobsters in that horrid tank anyway?' and Lil looked away while they were putting the rest of the lobsters back in. I figured they had no right to put the lobsters in that tank. I bet they have a horrid time in there. I explained this to the manager when they brought him out. After I explained, they escorted us out. Lil was right sore at me; she didn't talk to me the entire ride home."

The Shadow didn't seem to acknowledge Wheatley's prattling. The shadow launched another portal on the wall and walked through it. Wheatley followed behind closely. "So, that's why we weren't allowed in the grocery store closest to our home for the longest time."

Wheatley began to question his Shadowy partner's dedication to the mission at hand and cleared his throat softly. "So, that's…basically the story of how I came here. What's your story, Mate?" he asked. The Shadow didn't answer. It just kept walking. "You remind me of a friend of mine from years ago. Twenty-five, maybe almost thirty years if I'm correct. She didn't talk much either." Wheatley prattled. The Shadow slowed down and stopped as Wheatley continued. "She didn't talk much. I don't know if she was mute or just didn't have much to say about the situation. I always wondered about her. You know, she's Lil's mother."

The Shadow faced Wheatley, though he couldn't tell because of the darkness. "Lil, the girl you're helping me get to. She's wonderful, you two might get along. I mentioned her a few times before, you remember. Miss Lady, my friend from years ago when I lived here, left and met another human and made Lil and Tiny Human. I already explained that, though."

Wheatley looked at the shadow, and the way it held its head was almost like it was urging him to continue as she walked. "Hmm, no one has ever told me to keep talking. Usually Lil tells me to shut up so she can hear the television. Well, I can say this with all confidence…I'm very much in love with Lil. I think I might have felt this 'love' thing before, but when I'm near Lil, it's like nothing else matters except her. Her and Tiny Human and their safety and happiness."

If it wasn't as dark as it was, Wheatley would have seen the shadow smile as it launched another portal on the far side of the room. Wheatley continued to follow, looking around the barely lit walkways, trying his hardest to fight the unpleasant flashbacks that had been plaguing him. He didn't want to see the phantoms anymore. He just wanted to get Lil and leave this place behind forever. "You know, I never wanted to see this place again, if I'm honest." He muttered to the shadow as it launched another portal.

"When they removed my implant, the one _SHE_ put in my head when I started up this journey, I felt…happy. It was liberating to be free of _HER_. Nice to have a thought to myself without hearing her chiming in to tell me how stupid it was. Gets bloody annoying; can you imagine?" Wheatley prattled, thinking he saw the Shadow nod. "Then, the next thing I know, all I can think about is Lil. It would have been nice to live peacefully, knowing that Aperture was buried far beneath the Earth, where it couldn't harm anyone anymore. A nice, quiet life with Lil and Tiny Human, and even the Androids. I guess wishful thinking, am I right?" Wheatley chuckled.

Looking around, Wheatley felt the phantoms again. He wanted to fight them off, but he couldn't. He looked below, at the phantom of a running man. He looked a little further down the walkway below and saw what looked like a giant hole in the wall. Wheatley's head started to hurt.

"_NO! LEAVE ME ALONE!" Wheatley shouted as he rounded another corner in the maintenance area. Just a little further and he'd be home free. He knew there was an emergency exit somewhere nearby, but didn't have time to look at the map in the factory foreman's office before the escort bot had caught up with him. It didn't take him long to get lost. At least he knew the bot was lost too, so that bought him some time._

_Wheatley decided to take a break for a moment and looked for a place to hide. He didn't know how the escort bot knew where he was, but decided not to give it the satisfaction of catching him here. Wheatley felt the walls nearby and kicked one in. One thing he had to acknowledge was that Aperture was cheap and the wall panels made it easy for people to sneak around when the higher ups were around (or to just generally cause trouble, as he learned in his intern days helping the others play pranks)._

_He placed the wall panel back in place and held his breath. He heard the clicking of the bot's joints and watched through the small crack in the wall as the escort bot scanned the area. Wheatley held himself as close to the wall as the escort bot's scanner beam scanned the wall Wheatley was hiding in. It literally stopped an inch from Wheatley's shoe and turned its beam off. Wheatley waited until the bot was gone and slid down the wall of his hiding spot._

_Exhaling after a long silence, Wheatley reached into his pocket and pulled out the disk. "Miss Caroline…" he muttered softly. "I'm sorry. I'll make this right. I just have to…"_

_Wheatley was interrupted by the wall coming down and a robotic arm grabbing him by the neck. "Test Subject, Do not resist. Your failure to assume the Party Escort position has been noted and will be reported in any and all upcoming evaluations. Drastic action has been approved by your superiors should you resist the Escort Bot. Do not resist."_

Shaking himself out of his flashback, Wheatley ran ahead of the shadow and, as if knowing where he was going, ran down some stairs and toward the hole. Inside the wall, Wheatley found what looked like evidence of a struggle. Wheatley watched as a phantom of himself wrestled with the Escort Bot. He watched helplessly as the Escort Bot grabbed his phantom's neck and tightened its grip. He watched himself kick the escort bot a few times, making it drop him on the ground. Wheatley then watched as the Bot punched his phantom in the eye, breaking his glasses and knocking him unconscious. Wheatley felt the need to step out of the way as the phantom of the Bot grabbed Wheatley's phantom and dragged him away.

Wheatley watched the phantoms dissipate as the Escort Bot's phantom faced him before finally disappearing. Wheatley stepped inside and knelt down, picking up an old pair of broken glasses. The lenses were cracked and the frame was bent, but Wheatley felt the urge to put them on anyway. Wearing these glasses, Wheatley felt himself get dizzy so he immediately took them off.

The Shadow almost immediately appeared behind him, its motions urging him to follow once again. The Shadow seemed angry that they were so off course, as it hurried along the right path. Wheatley followed behind slowly, staring at the glasses as he and the Shadow made their way to a spiral stairway. He felt compelled to find out what happened to him, but snapped out of his day dream when he heard screaming above him.

"Lil?" he shouted, looking up. Though he could barely make anything out above, he knew it was her. The Shadow watched as Wheatley raced up the stairway toward the screaming. "LIL! Don't worry, I'm coming, love!" Wheatley shouted as he raced up the stairs. As he got closer to the top of the stairs, he noticed the light getting brighter. The light shined brightly as Wheatley found himself on a catwalk adjourning a white wall just below the tube Lil was currently zooming through.

Wheatley ignored the arrows drawn on the wall as he raced to keep up with Lil. He ignored the writing above the arrows that read "DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE! CATCH ALICE!" in red paint. At the end of the catwalk, Wheatley saw what looked like a target painted on the floor. Wheatley estimated that at the rate Lil was traveling, and the fact that the floor was flat, and as the gears in his brain turned, he realized that Lil wasn't going to stick the landing and that it was going to get pretty messy unless he caught her.

Lil was coming in fast and Wheatley was running out of breath. He felt the urge to keep himself from yelling for her to slow down, realizing such a thing would be impossible. Wheatley ran faster, ignoring the pain in his long legs and his chest. "I'M COMING, LIL!" he shouted as Lil passed him overhead. Just as Wheatley was getting ready to dive for Lil, an orange portal opened on the target. Wheatley didn't have time to react as he dove for Lil, his arms stretched out. Everything happened in slow motion to him.

Wheatley caught Lil, and they both flew through the orange portal and out a blue on, skidding across the floor on a catwalk below. Ignoring the throbbing pain in his behind (not unlike the time Lil chased him around the apartment, smacking his rear end with the flyswatter for eating her "secret" chocolate the day her "special-once-a-month time" began), Wheatley breathed heavily, holding Lil tight.

"That…was one hell of a ride…" Lil muttered, trying to shake the dizziness away. Lil shook her head and readjusted her ponytail. It took her a moment, but it was then she realized who was holding her. "Oh, Wheaters, you saved me!" she shouted as she happily embraced him. Wheatley looked a bit dizzy.

"My rear hurts…" he whined as Lil hugged him tightly.

Lil laughed softly and kissed his cheek. "I knew you'd come for me. I knew you weren't dead. She tried to tell me you were, but I knew deep down you weren't. Oh, Wheatley, you big doofus." Lil hugged his neck tighter, pressing herself against him. Wheatley didn't complain.

Lil helped Wheatley up as the faint light of the overhead lights shined on them. "Dr. Rattmann, the one that rerouted your tube, told me he rerouted it somewhere near the garden." Wheatley muttered as he dusted himself off. Lil cocked an eyebrow and Wheatley then realized she had no idea what he was talking about. He chuckled softly and promised to explain everything on the way. When Lil asked how they were going to find their way to the garden, Wheatley tried to find the answer. As if on cue, the lights above flickered and went out, causing the emergency lights to kick in again. On the wall behind them were arrows.

Shrugging together, Wheatley took Lil's hand and led the way. "Tiny Human and the Androids are waiting. Dr. Rattmann will explain everything once we get back. I know Tiny Human is eager to have you back. Maybe more so than I am." Wheatley remarked as they walked along the cat walk. Lil hugged him as they walked along the catwalk.

"Hey, Wheaters, where is that gun?" Lil asked. "Did you drop it when you shot that orange hole?"

"I didn't bring it with me. It was pretty banged up in that fall I took. I imagine P-Body is tinkering with it by now. Hopefully she wasn't set the garden on fire." Wheatley prattled. Lil looked at Wheatley with mild confusion.

"If you didn't shoot those portals, then who did?" Lil asked.

Wheatley chuckled softly and pointed behind himself. "My shadowy friend did. I don't know who it is, but for the last hour or so, I've been following…" Wheatley looked behind himself and found the catwalk empty. "That Shadowy figure must not want to come along." He murmured. "To be perfectly honest, if it weren't for the fact that it had a portal device, I would be questioning whether or not this person was real."

"Well, whoever helped you; they have my eternal respect and thanks. I'm just glad you're alright." Lil hugged Wheatley again. Wheatley chuckled and stopped to hug her too. "Let's get back to Angie and the Androids and get the hell out of here."

Wheatley and Lil walked along the catwalk, passing other walkways as they made their way to a lighted area. The arrows pointed to a bit of red graffiti that read "WELCOME BACK, ALICE" as they approached. Lil went in first, as Wheatley stopped, feeling something behind him.

Turning around sharply, Wheatley saw his shadow friend, standing in the darkness, just outside of the light. "Whoever you are, thank you." Wheatley shouted as a gust of air from the broken tubes blew Wheatley's hair about. The shadow just nodded and (at least from what Wheatley could make out) smiled softly. "How can I ever repay you? You name it, I'll do it. Just…let me thank you for reuniting me with Lil."

The Shadow stepped closer, just barely into the light, revealing a female frame in an outfit identical to Lil's. Wheatley's eyes widened as he stood straight up. Tears formed in his eyes as he reached his hand out to touch the shadow, which just barely stood in the light.

"Your debt…" the shadow started, its voice somewhat croaky. "…is repaid…"

Wheatley felt the Shadow slightly touch his hand as it disappeared with a tear and a smile on its face. "Take…care of them…"

And with that, the Shadow disappeared before him.

Questioning what he just saw (and his own sanity at this point), Wheatley retracted his hand and nodded softly. "I promise…" he whispered, clenching his hand firmly to his chest. Wheatley heard Lil call for him and he started back towards her. In his mind, Wheatley debated whether or not to tell Lil what he just witnessed.

_Later, Within the Garden_

After introductions were made and everything explained (for the most part), Dr. Rattmann told Lil it would be best if she had the medic core look at her before she rested. Lil, though somewhat confused by the cores and their many functions, did as she was told and went to rest in a small shack that Dr. Rattmann had built years ago upon his arrival in the Core Garden.

"I arrived here a few hours before you did." said Dr. Rattmann. Before Wheatley could ask for Angie, Dr. Rattmann shushed him. "Before anything, I think you need to rest too. You bought us a great deal of time by bringing Lil here. I'll reveal everything to both of you soon. But first…" Dr. Rattmann looked behind Wheatley, at Lil standing in the distance. "I think she wants to spend some alone time with her hero." He chuckled softly, winking. Wheatley chuckled bashfully and walked off to join Lil.

_Rescue one sister, now we have to go after the other…_ Dr. Rattmann thought, grabbing at his hair. Dr. Rattmann limped over to the Gardening Core, which followed him loyally. "Alright, now tell me exactly what you know. No details skipped. What happened?"

The Gardening Core looked at Dr. Rattmann. "Well, I was tending to the _bellis perennis_ when I saw the small human leave with that blank construct." Looking at Dr. Rattmann with her sunflower shaped iris, The Gardening Core kept fidgeting as if it was about to burst.

"How long ago did the small human leave?" Dr. Rattmann demanded.

The Gardening Core shook softly and looked down at Dr. Rattmann. "Approximately six hours ago. She left with the blank construct. Those Androids left about five hours ago after getting some supplies. I followed them up until the border of the garden. You told us never to go past the garden entrance and…I didn't…"

Dr. Rattmann sighed. "Tell the medic core to have the two humans in the shack come see me as soon as he's done examining them." The Gardening Core nodded and started zipping off when Dr. Rattmann stopped her again. "Did the Androids take anything with them?"

"The female had been working on that weird device we found with the male human. She stuffed it in her pack when she and the male android left." The Garden Core revealed before Dr. Rattmann let her go.

Dr. Rattmann could tell by the lack of light in the garden that it was starting to turn dark outside. Everything was silent. The Cores told him they hadn't detected any significant changes in GLaDOS in hours. Something was quelling her, keeping her calm, despite the fact that she was literally losing her mind. Dr. Rattmann limped over to his chair by the makeshift stream and sat down, leaning against his walking stick. Next to him sat the burnt turret, which somehow founds it way from the table to the stream. Figuring he put it there, Dr. Rattmann shrugged and watched the water flow.

"Doppelganger…" the turret whispered. Dr. Rattmann looked at the burnt turret slowly and cocked an eyebrow. "Beware the Doppelganger. He is perfect, but his heart is missing."

In the shack, Lil rested in Wheatley's arms. Wheatley, in no hurry to let go of her again, sighed happily and put one arm behind his head. The sound of the cores playing a simple song along with the crickets was very relaxing and Wheatley couldn't think of a better way to fall asleep. He couldn't wait to wake up and see Angie and Lil happily reunited. The thought that their little family was complete gave him a nice twinge in his heart.

_In The Central A.I. Chamber_

As Angie played with her toys next to an empty food tray, GLaDOS kept herself occupied with the images on a small monitor. Angie didn't seem too curious as to what GLaDOS was watching, to which GLaDOS was surprisingly thankful. She told Angie she was getting a special surprise ready for her. "No peeking!" GLaDOS sang, every time she sensed Angie look her way. Angie would then giggle and run to the other side of the chamber with her Construct music box.

"Yes…this will be perfect…" GLaDOS murmured softly. She glanced over at Angie to make sure she wasn't watching. Angie was happily drawing with her crayons again. GLaDOS squinted and saw her drawing another picture of Wheatley. She narrowed her optic, trying to hide her seething rage at the child's favoritism of Wheatley. GLaDOS couldn't fathom why Angie loved that idiot so much.

She wanted to smile evilly as the bots told her the modified Escort Bot was complete. GLaDOS watched on the monitor as the bot opened its eyes. It wasn't ready yet, so it was to stay contained until GLaDOS deemed it ready for Angie. In her mind, she gave the bot specific instructions upon his release from his chamber. "Your job is basically to be a living doll for my 'grandchild'. If you fail at this, there is no going back. She loves that idiot so much, and as much as I don't want to see her hurt, your job is to make it so she never wants to leave. You are _her_ toy, nothing more. Do you understand?"

The Escort Bot blinked softly and smiled and evil smile. GLaDOS wasted no resources on this project. She had precious little time to get her affairs in order before she completely shut down. Since everything with Lil didn't work out, she decided she'd need a plan B. GLaDOS glanced over at Angie, who was playing tea party with the Construct.

No, she couldn't do that. The thought of using Angie instead made her feel sick (or the robotic equivalent). She'd need a way to lure Lil back. She couldn't sense Lil within the tubes anymore, but from the security cameras, she knew Lil wasn't dead. She knew she ran off with that idiot and were probably plotting to come and save Angie. GLaDOS wouldn't have that.

"Speak…" GLaDOS commanded the bot.

The likeness was uncanny. All it needed was a pair of glasses and the resemblance was disturbing. It obvious he was mechanical by his movements, but GLaDOS figured Angie wouldn't notice. The bot's evil smile contrasted that of Wheatley's happy stupid smile. She spent extra time on its vocal capabilities and probably wasted precious time doing so. But if it meant she could lure Lil back and keep Angie…

"I said speak!" GLaDOS commanded.

The bot looked up from his container at the camera staring down at him. "...'Ello!"

* * *

><p><strong>N'cha, my loves!<strong>

**First and foremost, I wish to apologize for how long this took. I didn't mean to leave you guys on a cliffhanger like that. The factors behind that were…pretty insane.**

**The simplest explanation is thusly: an electrical short fried my motherboard and I had to send it in to be repaired. Luckily, nothing was lost, but it set me back pretty far. But the first thing I did once I got my laptop back was start working again. Okay, that's a lie, I checked my Facebook and browsed Reddit, but after those two things, I got back to work! Lol**

**Well, what do you guys think? Was it too forced? Did it leave a lot unanswered? Was it satisfying? Let me know!**

**There is a beautiful rendition of "Cara Mia" I found on YouTube that sounds exactly like a music box, and that's where I got the idea of the Construct music box. Go look for it, it is beautiful.**

**So, if you guys hadn't noticed, I've started putting my stuff on deviantArt. Finally figured out how lol stupid me. I'd love it if you guys followed me on there, I use the journal to post updates on my works and just generally use it to post observations and such. My username on dA is LunaPeachieWasHere. Follow me and keep up with the updates!  
><strong>

**I've decided that after Reconstructing Humanity is done, I'm going to take a short break from fan fiction and work on my novel a bit. Don't be sad, my doves. It's just to take a small break and get it done. I'll still be around, submitting, but I won't have any major projects like this one for a while.  
><strong>

**Expect big things to come in the next few chapters, which include but not limited to: the Androids traversing to their former boss's lair to save Angie, Wheatley having the flashback to end all flashbacks, and hopefully a resolution that I've had planned from day one. Not gonna say what it is. Be patient my doves!**

**Oh, you might have noticed, but a few of my older chapters might look different. Well, before the story ends, I decided to do a bit of spring cleaning on my earlier chapters. I've added some content, deleted a few things I thought didn't fit, and just basically tweaked some grammar and spelling errors. I'm guilty of both of those. I sometimes get too excited or into the music I am listening to when I write I don't realize I do it. So, to apologize further for making you all suffer through that, I am redoing my older chapters.**

**Next chapter, I've decided, will not take as long as this one. Hopefully, my computer doesn't explode or a small meteorite doesn't hit it. Knowing my luck, it would hit my computer and destroy only it and the table haha. Seriously, my luck sucks.**

**Well, as always, I appreciate everyone's patience and your favs and reviews. Feel free to let me know how I did, your praise and reviews kept me going during this very weird occurrence. Sometimes, as a writer, I do feel like calling it quits, but then I remember that even if it's just one person that likes my work, than it's worth it to keep going. Luckily, I have a lot of people who like my work and your reviews kept me going. So, I implore you: support my insanity (lol) and review, fav, and as always, be merry, my loves.**

**Oh, and bellis perennis is a daisy. Science!  
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**GLaDOS, Wheatley, ATLAS, P-Body, and Dr. Rattmann belong to Valve.**


	25. Little Test Subject Lost

_Reconstructing Humanity_

Little Test Subject Lost

Dr. Rattmann dreaded the conversation he was about to have with Wheatley and Lil. They had been napping (he didn't want to know what they were really doing, so he picked napping and left it at that) for a few hours after their ordeal with the transport tube system and decided to leave them alone so he could collect his thoughts.

In truth, Dr. Rattmann hadn't had a clear thought in a very long time and he had been fighting vigorously with his mild schizophrenia for much longer. When he knew his access to medication would be limited, if not particularly nonexistent, he found solace in daily meditation along to the tune of the cores humming softly to the ambiance of the garden. The meditation was helping somewhat, but he figured it was only delaying the inevitable of him going completely insane from isolation and waking up over a hundred years when he should have been dead.

Did he regret living when everyone he knew and cared for died a horrible, unavoidable death at the hands of the very monster they were trying to cure? Sometimes, yes, but when he sat down and thought about everything he had learned and gained; about _HER_ and the happy life she lived partly because of his intervening, and his new "Granddaughters", Dr. Rattmann was pretty happy with his choice to run instead of being just another body to throw in the incinerator or an unwilling test subject. Of course, the word "happy" was subjective in this case.

_Sometimes, running is all you can do…_ he often reassured himself during his meditations.

The issue at the moment was not just keeping Lil from becoming GLaDOS's meat puppet, or the facility literally being a ticking time bomb ready to destroy anything within a thousand miles. He dreaded turning his computer console back on, but it was the only way to know for sure if what he saw on the monitor earlier was true. He knew the cores were built with a tracking device in them in case employees decided to take them out of the facility, which made Dr. Rattmann hope that P-Body didn't remove the one residing in the former Intelligence Dampening Sphere when she initially repaired it.

With help from his walking stick, Dr. Rattmann got up from his meditation spot by the makeshift stream and made his way to the shack where Wheatley and Lil rested. "Mr. Human, the male and the female have awakened and are being questioned by the Medic Core." said the Gardening Core as she zoomed to Dr. Rattmann. Dr. Rattmann nodded and slowly made his way toward the shack.

"For the last time, I am NOT telling a metal ball hanging from the ceiling when my last menstrual cycle occurred! We're fine, now go away!" groaned Lil, fixing her hair back into a ponytail. Lil didn't like wearing her hair up, but considering the circumstances, she believed fashion was the least of her concerns at the moment.

"My scans indicate that your heart rate has heightened and endorphins have recently been released in your brains. Please allow me to give a diagnosis." The Medic Core chanted as Lil covered herself during another scan from the Medic Core. Though completely dressed, it still felt violating to be scanned by a ball on a rail. The Medic Core let out a beam on both Wheatley and Lil, doing the scan almost instantly. "Human Male, my scans indicate that your sperm count has dropped significantly from the last scan…"

"That's enough, thank you!" shouted Wheatley as Dr. Rattmann made his presence known.

Dr. Rattmann chuckled and dismissed the Medic Core. "He's a good medic, but we never could figure out why he couldn't focus on the real problems on the patients. Nothing's broken, I hope?" Dr. Rattmann asked as the Medic Core zoomed off. Wheatley and Lil shook their heads as they got up. "I hope you two are rested, because we have an issue that must be addressed immediately."

Lil straightened herself up as Dr. Rattmann offered his hand to help her up. She accepted appreciatively and stood. "Well, can it wait? I want to see my sister. Is she alright?" Lil asked, eagerly. Lil seemed a bit discouraged when Dr. Rattmann turned around and walked away without answering. Lil cocked an eyebrow as Wheatley left ahead of her.

"Dr. Rattmann, where is Tiny Human?" Wheatley whispered, knowing something was wrong. Dr. Rattmann looked at Wheatley, not wanting to answer. He didn't, instead leading Wheatley over to his computer console as Lil took a look around the Core Garden.

Cores zooming overhead, Wheatley tried to fight the feeling of horrible nostalgia that overcame him each time he saw a personality construct. Dr. Rattmann sat down at his console as Wheatley looked around for a place to sit. He awkwardly sat down on the Companion Cube next to Dr. Rattmann's chair. Dr. Rattmann frowned a bit but then nodded toward one of the flat screen computer monitors. "From here, I keep tabs on everything in the facility. If _SHE_ so much as activated an automatic door, I know about it."

Dr. Rattmann turned on the monitors and sat back. "It's old equipment, but it does the job. While you and Lil have been resting, I've been working on that Quick-Fix program. For whatever reason, it wasn't finished, but I did what I could with it. Hopefully, it should work when we install it into her hardware."

"Install it?" Wheatley asked, anxiously. "I was hoping we were done! I got Lil back; I assumed all we had to do now was leave!"

Dr. Rattmann understood Wheatley's frustration. "As much as I want that to happen, something needs to be done. I already explained that _HER_ programing is beginning to fail, and now it's only a matter of time before she shuts down completely. While you were resting, I've seen a change in her behavior through this computer. Something's calmed her, and it's keeping the inevitable at bay for now. It won't last forever, though. Unless we install the Quick-Fix soon, she'll either tear this place apart looking for Lil so she can make the transfer, or she'll shut down. As I've mentioned before, the reserve power is nowhere near the levels it needs to be to keep this place from destroying everything within a thousand miles once the reactor goes critical. As horrible as it seems, it turns out, we need her."

Wheatley didn't want to go that far and say they actually _needed _GLaDOS, but Wheatley found himself without any other choice. "Well, even so, how are we going to get close enough to her to put it in her systems? I'm pretty sure she's just a bit sour at us at the moment."

Nodding, Dr. Rattmann sat up in his chair. He typed on his keyboard and had the monitor zoomed in. "Above the Central A.I. Chamber is a room called the Master Control Room. It's basically everything that controls the facility and keeps her in check. As you know, there hasn't been a scientist in that room in years to keep everything functional. Even a giant super computer needs to visit a doctor every now and then." Dr. Rattmann chuckled, coughing a bit as he did.

"Dr. Rattmann, are you alright?" asked Wheatley.

After a long, hacking cough, Dr. Rattmann nodded. "I'm fine. I've been down here so long, I'm sure the lack of natural sunlight hasn't done wonders for me. I want to go to the surface with you all. But where will I go? I'm pretty sure the pharmacy that holds my medication no longer exists and I can't very well walk into town telling them where I came from. They'd throw me in the loony bin. Worse, they might try to come out here and investigate my claims. The less the world knows about this place, the better. The technology here will only cause problems. Besides, do you think technology like GLaDOS needs to be unleashed on the world?"

Wheatley had to agree with him there. Dr. Rattmann cleared his throat. "I do know enough about hacking to make falsified identification, but there is still the matter of getting on with my life."

"I won't hear any more of this." shouted Wheatley. "You can stay with me and the girls! Lil won't mind and Tiny Human would be delighted to have you around. If there is one thing I've learned up top, it's that families stay together as much as possible. Though, admittedly, Lil says the divorce rate is pretty high up there, but the point is that if Tiny Human considers you family, then so do I."

"That's noble of you, but I can't leave the cores behind. I doubt there is any room in your home for the cores." Dr. Rattmann chuckled.

"No, I don't think Lil would want to install management rails in our apartment…" Wheatley scratched his stubbly chin as Lil walked up behind them.

"I hate to interrupt 'Guy Time', but I've looked all over the place and I can't find Angie!" shouted Lil, trying not to sound panicked. "One of those ball things told me you know where she is. Well, where is she?" Lil put her hands on her hips and glared at Dr. Rattmann. Dr. Rattmann pulled at his shirt collar a bit and then looked back at Lil. "Well, where is my sister?"

Dr. Rattmann stood up and pointed to the lower left hand monitor on his console. "Remember when I told you something has calmed her enough to keep her systems balanced for now?" Wheatley nodded and watched as Dr. Rattmann typed away. Wheatley didn't know why, but he had an inkling that he knew the programing that Dr. Rattmann was typing. As soon as he was done, the monitor popped up with a security feed of the Central A.I. Chamber. He pressed a button to zoom in.

To Lil's horror, there sat Angie, on the floor, happily drawing next to the construct that was once Wheatley. Lil was speechless at first. A cold, horrified sensation coursed through her systems. Her body began to shake as she fought back the urge to scream as loud as she could. "That…" Lil's voice shook as she pointed. "…that thing has MY SISTER!" she shouted.

Wheatley motioned to Dr. Rattmann to cover his ears, which they both did. Lil then let out the loudest, angriest scream that resonated throughout the garden (and a few of the lower levels of the facility).

Lil grabbed the monitor and starting shaking it. "THAT THING HAS MY SISTER!" Lil shouted as Wheatley tried to pry her off the console. As Wheatley tried to calm Lil down, Dr. Rattmann sat back down and typed away as fast as he could. "That thing…" Lil quivered as Wheatley held her.

"Not all is lost." murmured Dr. Rattmann.

"That giant…_THING_ has Angie and might do…who knows what to her!" Lil shouted as she cried on Wheatley's chest.

Dr. Rattmann pointed to the top left monitors. Lil wiped her eyes and blinked. Somehow, the action on the monitors didn't make her feel any better. On the screen, ATLAS and P-Body traversed the inner facility. "The cores saw them leave not long after your sister left. Odds are they are going after her. Those two are interesting specimens, if I do say so myself. GLaDOS gave them the ability to think and act for themselves. Probably the first sign of her systems starting to go bad. They obviously care for you guys, especially the little one. She stayed very close to the one she called 'Miss Pee-Bee'. We can keep tabs on them through the cameras in their eyes and through various security cameras."

Wheatley stroked Lil's hair and kissed her forehead. "How do we know they aren't reporting back to their boss? How do we know they weren't planning on double-crossing us?!" Lil shouted again.

"Love, those two care about Tiny Human. I've seen the way they play and watch out for her. We have nothing to worry about." Wheatley cooed. This still did nothing to quell Lil's fears. Wheatley himself was starting to have doubts about the Androids. "We'll have to trust them."

Wheatley kissed Lil's forehead and started to walk away. "Where the hell are you going?" Lil shouted. "We just got here and now you're leaving?"

"I'm going after them." Wheatley said, simply. Lil wanted to say something, but didn't. She wanted him to stay, but something told her the Androids were no match for their former boss alone. She wanted to go along too, but knew deep down if she was captured again, all of Wheatley's and Dr. Rattmann's efforts would be for not. She waved softly and felt her stomach turning again. Lil grabbed at her stomach and ran for the makeshift stream after Wheatley left her view.

Dr. Rattmann limped toward Lil, who grasped her stomach. "Oh, what a time to get nervous…"

_Within the Facility_

They knew they were treading on thin ice just by being there, but ATLAS and P-Body journeyed on, keeping in step with the sounds of the facility. Being robots, they didn't trigger any alarms as they passed by each designated "danger" area that GLaDOS had set up in case some of the human test subjects got a little gutsy. Both of them knew their target and kept their guard up.

Making their way to Angie was the easy part. Their sensors told them she was in the Central A.I. Chamber. They had yet to figure out how they were going to go about getting her out of there. P-Body felt good about not taking out the tracking device in the Intelligence Dampening Sphere.

The facility's inner workings were a labyrinth. There was no telling where each staircase led, if it indeed led anywhere at all. Even with their sensors, the Androids found themselves having to take second guesses. Nothing seemed to make sense anymore. P-Body looked at ATLAS and made a sighing motion.

"_Is this what he meant when he said she was acting against herself?"_ asked P-Body, in her inaudible chirping.

ATLAS crossed his arms and watched with P-Body as test chamber components flew everywhere. _"It's as if she's not even paying attention to what's going on around here."_ ATLAS answered in his inaudible chatter. Looking up, the Androids watched things collide with each other and felt the tremble of test chambers being made in haste. _"It kind of feels like the moron is in charge again."_

P-Body gripped the hem of her dress tightly. _"Oh, that was horrible. We had to clean all that up!"_ P-Body beeped.

Treading lightly, the Androids kept going. It wasn't long before they started hearing music. They weren't sure what was going on. For all they knew, GLaDOS was doing horrible things to poor little Angie and giving the procedure a soundtrack. _"What is it with this place and music?"_ asked P-Body, in her inaudible chirping. ATLAS shrugged and led the way again.

P-Body had forgone her backpack, wanting to keep the trek light. ATLAS carried the portal device, which was light for him. P-Body didn't have much to work with when they found it resting beside Wheatley when he fell from the higher levels. It was busted and many main components were broken. Of course, P-Body never turned down a challenge. Within an hour of finding it, P-Body had it working again thanks to hard work, determination, and some spare parts from broken constructs around the garden.

"_What do you think she'll do to us if she finds us?"_ P-Body asked, rubbing her upper arms.

"_Well, for going against her, she'll probably throw us in the incinerator." _ATLAS answered, tightening his grip on the portal device. _"Of course, it can't be much worse than what she probably has in store for the Tiny Human if we don't get her back."_

P-Body nodded and followed behind ATLAS as he led the way. _"Do you think what the Mad Hatter said was true about us?" _asked P-Body. ATLAS stopped and turned around to face his companion. He didn't seem to know what she meant, as his facial expression urged her to continue. _"He said a while ago that she had no idea what kind of power she actually gave us. Do you think he was right?"_

ATLAS didn't answer. He really didn't want to answer because he actually had no idea. The only thing keeping GLaDOS from completely shutting down over the years was her drive for testing. The two had watched as human after human were flung, tossed or just plain fell to their deaths for the sake of science. Of course, these two often had to help with the clean-up, but whatever kept them busy made them happy. As long as they could adjourn back to their clubhouse at the end of a testing cycle, that is.

With a computerized sigh, P-Body thought about their old clubhouse and wondered if it was still intact. Though now wasn't the time to get sentimental, P-Body worried that GLaDOS had it destroyed to make room for more test chambers or whatever it was that GLaDOS had planned for poor Lil and Angie.

"_You need to stop thinking about that stuff."_ ATLAS said, finally. _"It's not good for the systems. I warned you that tinkering with the constructs would be a bad idea, but you didn't listen. Now look where we are. Back here, where we promised we'd never be again. I don't know about you, but I liked living above ground with the humans and I plan on doing it again. Even if we don't succeed, me, you, the Tiny Human, and the idiot can live on above ground while she continues to go crazy in another body from down here."_

P-Body didn't like what ATLAS was saying. _"Don't think I don't know that's what you want, too. You'd love to have the former idiot sphere to yourself, wouldn't you?" _ATLAS's statement struck something in P-Body. _"If it were any other core, you probably would have stripped it for parts, but it was __**HIM**__ and you had to repair him. Don't think I don't know how you look at him."_

"_You're wrong!" _shouted P-Body in her inaudible chirping. _"You know I'm happy as long as I have you."_

ATLAS scoffed and turned away, not believing her. This wasn't the first time they'd had this discussion and ATLAS made it known it probably won't be the last. _"Let's just keep going. We have a long way to go before we hit any real snags."_

P-Body huffed a bit and followed behind ATLAS loyally. P-Body accessed her memory bank as she walked. She remembered the day she was activated with ATLAS. GLaDOS told them they were perfect, but P-Body would eventually learn that "Perfect" was subjective. She remembered being told to stay put until it was time for them to replace the last human. They wondered around the facility until they realized she wasn't coming back. It was then they found Wheatley over the monitors shouting orders to the repair bots and rearranging everything. The two decided to stay out of his way, but P-Body, curious as ever, often found herself in his way, wondering around the testing tracks.

Had she developed some type of simulated feeling for him? She didn't know. Her focus was on finding Angie, whom she had grown quite attached to. ATLAS wouldn't admit it, but he had as well. Of course, he never really went anywhere without P-Body. The two were literally made for each other.

ATLAS stopped suddenly and told P-Body to stay back. They hid in an opening in a nearby wall when they saw something pass by overhead. It looked like a human, but their sensors didn't pick up any human life nearby. It seemed to be patrolling the areas and was looking for something. The Androids watched as the figure looked up, as if someone was calling it. They watched it rush off with almost inhuman speed.

Knowing something wasn't right, ATLAS and P-Body rushed after the figure until they lost it near the entrance to one of the testing tracks. Kicking the door down, ATLAS helped P-Body into the observation room overlooking what looked like a newly rebuilt test chamber. Knowing the chance of being spotted was high, the Androids crouched down and watched from the observation room, not sure what to expect. They certainly didn't expect what was coming out of the door below.

Angie, now sporting the smallest (and most adorable) long-fall boots either of the Androids had ever seen, ran inside the test chamber, happily dragging the construct music box behind her. All over the test chamber sat weighted storage cubes that were open and filled with toys. There was an aerial faith plate in the center of the room and an excursion tunnel just above it.

It was then that it hit the hidden Androids that this wasn't a test chamber at all; it was a very advanced playroom.

"Is all this mine, Grandma?" Angie shouted happily as she bounced on the heels of her boots.

The Androids looked at each other with the same questionable look. "_Grandma?"_ the Androids chirped together in their language. What kind of sick game was GLaDOS playing with Angie? The Androids watched as Angie looked around the room curiously. So far, she looked unharmed and healthy, but the Androids knew something wasn't right.

"Yes, this is all yours. It is just one gift out of many I have planned for you today. If you need me, just shout. Grandma will be busy for a bit." GLaDOS cooed over the loudspeaker. Angie nodded and looked around at the playroom that had been prepared with care just for her. Angie ran to a storage cube overflowing with toys and closed it, placing her construct music box on top.

Angie dusted herself off and spun around in her new boots. "Do you like the shoes Grandma gave me, Mr. Metal Ball?" she asked, as if expecting a response. The Construct did nothing. "She said I needed them to play today. I like my new bouncy boots." Angie giggled as she hopped around the box on the heels of her boots. "Lil might get mad if I keep them, though. Last time I lost my shoes, she got really angry." Angie picked up "Mr. Metal Ball" and held him tightly.

ATLAS and P-Body watched as Angie played all by herself in her little playroom. She shrieked with delight as the aerial faith plate launched her above the room and the excursion funnel caught her. She clapped loudly as she gave her construct music box a turn. Angie watched happily as her construct music box floated seamlessly through the funnel and to the end. Angie wasn't sure how she was going to get it down without using the aerial faith plate again until she felt the panel below her move upward next to the end of the end of the funnel.

After a little while, a wall panel opened up and out flew a table with some food items on it. Angie happily sat at the little table with her construct and ate her lunch. The Androids watched this for a good long while, not sure what to make of it all. Why was GLaDOS being so generous? They estimated were she anyone else, GLaDOS would have thrown Angie in the incinerator long ago.

"Mr. Metal Ball…" she whimpered after a little while. "…can you keep a secret?" The Construct said nothing. "I miss Mr. Wheatley and Lil. I wish they were here with me to enjoy this cool playroom Grandma made me." She whined softly, unaware that she was being watched. "I do like the stuff Grandma does for me, but…" Angie looked like she was fighting back tears. "…I miss Lil and Mr. Wheatley and Grandpa…and Mr. ATLAS and Miss Pee-Bee!" Angie wiped her eyes and hugged her Mr. Metal Ball.

ATLAS started to stand up when he heard a rumbling sound from below. Crouching back down, ATLAS stayed near P-Body as the intercom buzzed in the room below. "What's the matter, child?" asked GLaDOS over the loudspeaker. Before Angie could answer, the chamber doors opened wide. "There's no reason to cry…look who I found just wandering around, looking for you…"

From the light, a tall figure stepped forward as the door closed. Angie held her construct tightly as the figure stepped forward. "…Mr.…Mr. Wheatley?" Angie murmured softly. It indeed looked like Wheatley. Tall, gangly, and wearing glasses, the figure stepped forward with a smile. Angie was hesitant and approached with caution. "Is it really you?" Angie tugged on the figure's pant leg and looked him over.

He nodded. "Of course it's me. Who else would it be?" he chuckled, bending down to Angie's level. It sounded like Wheatley and looked like him too. "I came all this way to find you and play with you. Quite fascinating, that story is, but I'll save it for another time. Didn't come all this way to bore you with a story, I came to play! That is what you want, isn't it?" he asked. Angie nodded and held her construct tightly. "You know, she did a nice job making all this for you. Such hard work and love must have gone into all this. I bet you love having her as a grandmother, don't you, Angie?" he asked again. Angie nodded again and set her construct down. "Well, this is obviously your special room, so you pick the game. What do you want to play first?"

P-Body squinted and looked as if she was about to blush (if she was even capable of such an action). She blinked a few times and smiled as they watched Angie lead the tour of her playroom. ATLAS looked over at P-Body and had a good feeling he knew what she was thinking. She left her daydream as soon as something started beeping in her head. ATLAS growled softly as his and P-Body's sensors went crazy. Holding the portal device tightly, ATLAS stood slowly and instructed P-Body to follow him. When P-Body inquired where they were going, ATLAS looked at P-Body and simply stated _"We're going to go play."_

Angie sat at the table with food on top and he followed behind loyally. "I guess we can eat. Grandma found all these cool foods and she's been letting me eat them. For breakfast, she let me have eggs that were purple on the outside but tasted like bubblegum!" Angie said excitedly. "Here, Mr. Wheatley, try some of his juice. It looks like apple juice, but it tastes like grapefruits!" Angie pushed the glass over to him as he sat down. He politely refused, looking at the liquid in the cup unsurely. "Suit yourself, more for me." Angie chugged the juice down and picked up a blue apple slice. "I wish Lil was as good a cook as Grandma. At least Grandma's weird food is edible. Remember that eggplant casserole Lil made that one time?" Angie laughed.

He laughed as well, if not lightly chuckled. "You know, I think area is quite well made. Funnels, jumpy plates…those boxes. It's got it all, I do believe." Angie nodded to the compliment and bit into her apple slice. "And those boots look pretty snazzy too, if I do say so myself."

Angie lifted her feet and smiled. "Yep, Grandma gave them to me. Maybe I can ask her to give you a pair, Mr. Wheatley!" Angie said, excitedly. "They are super bouncy, but Grandma told me not to play with the heels too much. I think she had to make them special." Angie swung her feet a bit and ate her snack. "Mr. Wheatley, where's Lil?" Angie asked softly. He blinked for a moment and watched the child eat. "Is she not with you? Did you find her? You promised to bring her back, but you fell down that hole before you could. I remember Grandpa saying you fell down that deep hole…"

He stared at Angie as she rambled on about nothing in particular. He cleared his throat and looked at her sternly. "She decided to stay behind. She'll come up soon; don't worry about that, now. She'll be so jealous when she sees all the fun we're having up here, won't she?"

Giggling softly, Angie nodded. "What about Mr. ATLAS and Miss Pee-Bee?" Angie asked softly as she hopped off her chair. She watched him glared off in another direction. "They didn't come. That's all you need to know."

He looked down at Angie sternly. Angie stared at him for a moment and then went off to get her construct. "I miss Lil, Mr. Wheatley." She murmured softly. "Can we go get her? I want to see her. We came here to find her and you promised you'd find her!" she shouted.

"Why don't we just stay here and wait for her to find us? I'm sure she'll be around soon. She can find us using the cameras…and walkways. Don't worry; I marked down everywhere I went so she'd find us. Isn't that great, Angie?" he seemed very excited, but Angie decided to keep an eye on him.

"Did you bump your head on the way here, Mr. Wheatley?" Angie asked, looking over him cautiously.

"I've hit my head on a number of things, yes, but not today! Oh, I've made such tremendous progress! You'll be so proud of me! But I promise to tell you later! Right now, let's play in this cool room while we wait for your sister to join us!" He ran over to a stack of toys and Angie followed behind slowly.

Above the specialized playroom, ATLAS removed a panel and told P-Body to wait. ATLAS glared at the pair as they walked around the playroom. He seemed uninterested, yet he gave off a feeling of being forced. Being forced by a child? ATLAS doubted it. ATLAS held the portal device up and kept his hand on the trigger.

"…and over here is where I plan to color later. Remember the time you colored with me in the living room when you first moved in? That was funny how Lil took the crayons from you when she found you coloring in the white spots on the rug under the coffee table." Angie giggled as he attempted to take his hand. He looked down at the child and held his hand out to her. Her hand was so tiny compared to his, but he reached for it anyway. He grabbed her hand forcibly and held it tightly.

Something about his touch sent Angie's heart into a frenzy almost instantly and she glared at him angrily. Angie yanked herself away and ran toward the other side of her coloring table. "Okay, who are you?!" she shouted. Angie grabbed a chair by her little table and held it up to keep him back.

He blinked softly and smiled. "What are you talking about? It's me, good Ol', stupid Wheatley! You know that, Angie!" he smiled softly, looking worried.

"NO, YOU'RE NOT!" Angie shouted again, forcing him back with the chair. "Tell me who you are _**NOW**_ or I'll yell for Grandma! And she won't be very happy with you!" Angie's threat seemed to hit a cord with him and sent him aback, but he remained vigilant. He stepped forward a few steps and held his hand out to Angie. She grimaced at him as he stepped forward. Angie didn't want to admit it, but she was starting to get scared.

His happy smile turned into a creepy grin as he stepped forward. "This is what you wanted, isn't it? I am Wheatley, and I've come to play with you, Angie!" He stepped forward, his arms out, ready to grab Angie. She tossed the chair in his way and ran toward the door. "Oooh, are we playing that hiding game? I like that game…"

Angie banged on the door loudly as He lumbered toward her. "Grandma! Grandpa! Lil! Mr. ATLAS! Miss Pee-Bee! Mr. Wheatley! Anyone, please help me!" she shouted, her little fists banging on the door.

"We'll all play together…you, me, and Lil will play always. Isn't that what you wanted?" he shouted as he lumbered closer to her. "It will be wonderful…" his grin scared Angie terribly and she banged harder on the door. "Let's play another game now…"

Angie's banging did little good. She fell to her knees and started to cry. As if by intervention, her construct fell off its table and rolled on its side toward Angie, stopping at her feet. She picked up her construct and held it tightly, trying not to cry anymore. "Now, come along, Angie, and let's play…" he towered over Angie, his shadow covering Angie completely. "Be a good little girl and come with me!" He leaned down to grab Angie, who screamed with all her might.

ATLAS decided that was their cue and dropped down into the chamber like a super hero. ATLAS shouted toward the two angrily. He looked back and his face met with ATLAS's fist, sending him to the side. He glared at ATLAS while trying to regain focus. ATLAS smacked him again in the face with the portal device, sending him backward, grabbing his face and falling to the ground. If ATLAS was capable of spitting, he probably would just for added insult.

P-Body jumped down and landed softly on the floor. She looked over and ran to Angie. "Mr. ATLAS! Miss Pee-Bee!" she shouted happily as P-Body picked her up. P-Body cuddled little Angie and stood close to the door, waiting for ATLAS to finish up.

ATLAS didn't wait for Him to get back up before kicking him a few times in the side. The unsettling crunching sounds coming from Him gave ATLAS a weird kind of joy. P-Body yelled for him to hurry, as time was of the essence and it could be long before _SHE _noticed something wasn't right. As He laid there seemingly lifeless, ATLAS ran to the doors and attempted to pry them open.

"Well, well…look who decided to come home…" said a horrifically familiar voice over the intercom. Watching from the monitors in her chamber, GLaDOS glared at the Androids. She motioned for the test chamber to lift itself from its position. P-Body held Angie tightly as the Androids heard the alarms. That only meant one thing: she was about to move the chamber manually. The chamber shook violently as it lifted itself up and attached itself to the track. They didn't know where it would go, but knew it wasn't good. "It's good to see you two again, but I'm afraid, even in those new bodies, you've proven yourselves obsolete. But luckily, we can work around that."

Angie looked up in wonderment. "Look, Grandma! Mr. ATLAS and Miss Pee-Bee came to play!" she shouted. P-Body shushed her and waited eagerly for ATLAS to get his gripping right. The Androids could feel GLaDOS's anger resonating through the floor.

ATLAS pried the doors open only to see the test chamber sailing through the facility on its track. "You know, on any other occasion, I'd have you two destroyed, but I'm actually happy to see you two. You see, the little one could use some playmates and you two are perfect. I need a way to keep her occupied while I get everything ready for her sister. I won't admit that I missed you, because you'd be wrong. Now, return the child to her test chamber and we can negotiate some kind of visitation privileges…"

The chamber sailed through the facility fast. Angie buried her face into P-Body's chest and held her construct tightly. As the chamber moved around the busy facility, ATLAS tried to find the safest and least insane way to get out of the chamber, which was careening toward a wall as they stood there. It was probably a bad idea to wait for the chamber to slow down, so ATLAS grabbed P-Body's waist and waited for the right moment. He shoved the portal device between P-Body and Angie, who grabbed it and held it tightly with her construct as she looked up.

Angie screamed and pointed at the upcoming wall. "Mr. ATLAS!" she shouted, pointing her little hand in the distance.

ATLAS nodded and jumped with Angie and P-Body holding on to him for dear life.

As Angie screamed, ATLAS held out his hand as they fell. He grabbed a management rail and zip-lined down the facility as the chamber they were in previously smashed into the wall. Sailing through the facility at high speeds, ATLAS smiled deviously as pieces of test chambers came around every corner, sailing around, trying to distract them. ATLAS's concentration was stone like as his grip on the management rail tightened along with his grip on P-Body's waist.

A little further ahead, a piece of chamber smashed the management rail, making it impossible for them to continue. P-Body shouted, but ATLAS just grinned. He shouted for P-Body to hold on as he swung himself and let go of the rail. Beeping at him "_Are you crazy?!" _P-Body held on for dear life, hoping ATLAS knew what he was doing.

With a mighty crash, ATLAS landed on a catwalk below. Once he steadied himself, he let go of P-Body and looked around. Angie, still holding on to her construct for dear life, quivered softly in P-Body's arms. ATLAS motioned for P-Body to follow and to hurry. Keeping Angie, her construct, and the portal device close, P-Body followed ATLAS as the facility shook. They could hear GLaDOS shouting for them to bring Angie back.

"BRING HER BACK NOW!" they heard her shout over the intercom system. Her anger resonated through the facility. "GET UP YOU WORTHLESS WASTE OF LIFE AND GET HER BACK NOW!" she shouted again, though the Androids ignored her.

"Grandma sounds angry…" Angie whimpered as ATLAS grabbed for the portal device she held. P-Body cuddled Angie close and cooed, trying to calm her down. ATLAS instructed P-Body to stay put while he looked around for a better route. P-Body backed up a bit, placing Angie and her construct down to look around herself. Her sensors picked up something zooming towards them at inhuman speeds. Behind them, a metal clunking noise shook the catwalk. P-Body turned around and saw Him staring at her.

"Alright, Orange, be a good girl and give me the child…" He cooed, motioning to her with His hand. P-Body growled softly and glared at him. Angie hid behind P-Body's legs and peered out to the side. "You know, I always liked you the most out of both of you. You were special and you know that. We'd make a great team, me and you, love. Come on, let's have the child and take her back to her Gran. Then we'll go and get Lil and let everything take its course. See? No one has to get hurt, Love…"

P-Body just stood there as He came closer. "Come on, little Angie, don't you want to play some more? We can play while we wait for your sister to join us. Then, we'll be a happy family again…" He kept getting closer and P-Body kept stepping backward. "Come now, Love, let's not make this difficult…" He lifted his hand seductively to P-Body, who looked more terrified than flattered. "Just P-Body, Lil, Angie, and Wheatley…"

Angie yelled loudly and threw her construct toy at Him, hitting Him in the face. "You're not Mr. Wheatley!" she shouted angrily. Angie's construct rolled toward the middle of the catwalk as He grabbed his face. She could hear him cursing and saw him trying to balance. "Mr. Wheatley never calls me by my name! You're a fake!" she shouted. This seemed to make Him angry.

"Fake…he's the fake…" He grunted as he showed his cracked face and his damaged eye. Angie held her hands over her mouth as she gasped. P-Body pulled Angie close. "I'm the real one. You think he actually cares about you and your sister or those dumb Androids? You think he really wants to be a family with you lot? Please, all he wants is to take the facility for himself again. If he loved you so much, wouldn't he be here instead of the Androids? I'm Wheatley…and I'll make sure you realize that soon enough!"

"YOU'RE NOT MR. WHEATLEY!" Angie shouted as ATLAS came running toward them, fists high.

P-Body pulled Angie out of harm's way as ATLAS dropped the portal device and started swinging at Robo-Wheatley (which is the name Angie gave him in her mind). Screeching loudly, ATLAS swung hard, each hit being blocked by Robo-Wheatley's forearms. Angie grabbed onto P-Body's legs and watched in horror as ATLAS fought Robo-Wheatley.

"Give it up, Mate. You think this impresses her? You should know she doesn't love you. Can you two even feel love?" Robo-Wheatley taunted as he dodged each one of ATLAS's punches. ATLAS didn't seem fazed by the chiding Robo-Wheatley shouted. "I know everything about you two. Literally built for one another, were you? Doesn't matter, does it?" Robo-Wheatley seemed to strike a chord with ATLAS and landed a good punched on him as he staggered about. "You'll never win her mechanical heart completely. You've felt second fiddle to a construct. A metal ball, of all things, and that's all you'll ever be!"

ATLAS regained his balance and launched another barrage of punches onto Robo-Wheatley. ATLAS knocked Robo-Wheatley down hard onto the catwalk and shouted for P-Body and Angie to run. Angie grabbed her construct quickly and ran with P-Body to the end of the catwalk. Using this moment as an advantage, ATLAS grabbed the portal device and ran after P-Body and Angie. Robo-Wheatley growled loudly and watched as ATLAS launched a portal toward a faraway wall and another onto a passing test chamber panel.

Grabbing Angie and holding her under his arm and P-Body by the waist, ATLAS timed it just right and ushered the two into the portal and out the faraway wall. Robo-Wheatley grunted and ran toward the open portal as it swung lifelessly on the passing panel.

ATLAS placed Angie down and let go of P-Body as he tried to disengage the portals. He urged the two to keep going while he tried to cancel out the portals before Robo-Wheatley could run through. P-Body tried not to look down as the flashing red emergency lights gave the facility a horribly evil look. Angie would have described it as looking like a dungeon in one of her video games. P-Body knew where they were: they were near the garbage chutes that led to the incinerator (and to a lesser extent, the garbage wing). P-Body kept an eye out for flaming debris as she and Angie ran down the stairs to another series of catwalks.

Robo-Wheatley jumped through the portals before they closed and launched another punch at ATLAS, sending him falling over the rail and landing in front of P-Body and Angie. P-Body waved to him softly as he got up. Robo-Wheatley swung himself over the rail and stepped toward the trip slowly. "Come on, ATLAS mate…let's make this easy. We don't need to bloody each other up. Let's take the girls back and maybe she'll make your punishment less horrifying."

ATLAS punched Robo-Wheatley hard, sending him back again. "Don't hold back, Mr. ATLAS! That's not Mr. Wheatley!" Angie shouted.

"_It's not?"_ ATLAS asked in his inaudible chatter. Hoping he was joking, P-Body chirped at ATLAS to watch out. Robo-Wheatley landed a good punch on ATLAS, sending him flying toward the end of the catwalk, where the railing was bent. P-Body chirped loudly for ATLAS, reaching her hand out to him.

Robo-Wheatley smacked ATLAS around a few more times before he grabbed him and threw him at the railing again. "She'll never love you…it isn't in your programing…" he chided, getting ready for one last blow. "You're obsolete. I was made to replace you. I might not be much for testing, mind you, but I can provide good muscle as you can see…"

The chains holding the catwalk in place groaned softly and finally broke in a few places, swinging the catwalk around, making everyone lose their balance as it swung and fell. Angie screamed loudly holding onto P-Body's leg for dear life. P-Body held on to Angie as the catwalk swung around and finally stopped near the lower levels, yanking everyone in place. It swung dangerously over one half of a fiery pit, which led to the incinerator and over the chutes for the garbage wing. Either way was a death sentence to the fighting bots.

Robo-Wheatley launched himself at ATLAS, who blocked his attacks masterfully. "I'm sick of playing this game! I don't care what happens to you two, I just want the humans!" Robo-Wheatley shouted, unleashing his barrage on ATLAS once again. He landed one good punched on ATLAS's face and sent him down. ATLAS's sensors went in and out, the impact knocking something out of whack temporarily. With his sensors malfunctioning, ATLAS found it harder and harder to block these punches and found himself wearing down. P-Body shouted for ATLAS. "How adorable, she wants you to believe she cares…"

ATLAS took quite a beating from Robo-Wheatley, his face plate cracking and losing some of his casing on his arms. ATLAS couldn't hold Robo-Wheatley back anymore and Robo-Wheatley knew this. "Say good-night, Mate…and don't worry, I'll treat her right." Robo-Wheatley chided, motioning toward P-Body behind them. "…it's time you went into the rubbish where you belong!" Robo-Wheatley geared up his most powerful punch and aimed it straight for ATLAS, who attempted to block. He could feel his systems wearing down and his sensors attempting to come back online. ATLAS's eyes widened.

Everything happened in slow motion. P-Body ran towards them, shouting her battle cry.

A loud crunch was heard. Robo-Wheatley hit something. In fact, his arm went through it. But not ATLAS…

P-Body stood in front of ATLAS, taking the powerful punch in its entirety. P-Body twitched and sparked as Robo-Wheatley lifted his arm up, with P-Body still on it. ATLAS shouted for P-Body as Robo-Wheatley shook her off his arm and tossed her back towards Angie, who was crying terrified tears. ATLAS used this moment to get up and grab Robo-Wheatley's neck. This disabled Robo-Wheatley, if not temporarily.

"_You look like him, you sound like him, and you're almost as stupid as him…on any other occasion, you'd be perfect…but there's one thing of his that you'll never have…"_ ATLAS shouted in his inaudible grunts. Robo-Wheatley struggled against ATLAS, who gripped his neck tightly. _"…and do you know what that is?"_

Robo-Wheatley shook his head as ATLAS punched him in the chest, making something crack and spark. _"…his heart…"_

With a horribly self-satisfied grin, ATLAS threw Robo-Wheatley over the edge, listening to him shout as he fell towards the fiery pit. He watched as Robo-Wheatley disappeared into the red glow and looked away as the catwalk chains started to creak.

ATLAS ran over to Angie and picked her up. Angie hugged ATLAS tightly as they looked, horrified, at P-Body, whose eyes flickered softly from yellow to gray as her body sparked and twitched, trying to stay online. Then finally, as she smiled and synthetic fluid poured down her cheeks like tears, her eyes turned gray, meaning she powered down. ATLAS shouted angrily as the catwalk finally gave. The chains holding up one side snapped, sending P-Body's lifeless body sliding off.

ATLAS grabbed the portal device with his foot before it could slide off too. He and Angie watched helplessly as P-Body gracefully fell into the darkness below. ATLAS launched a portal onto a nearby wall and launched another into the deep darkness, hoping to catch a panel. It did, and holding Angie and her construct tightly, ATLAS jumped into the portal just before the catwalk finally snapped and fell.

_Down Below_

"Miss Pee-Bee!" Angie shouted into the darkness. She looked around as ATLAS shined his lights in every direction. He wished Angie understood his language, because then he could tell her that shouting for P-Body was pointless. Even if she did understand him, ATLAS probably couldn't find the strength to actually say that to her. "Miss Pee-Bee, where are you!" Angie tried not to cry as she ran ahead of ATLAS. ATLAS finally caught up with Angie, turning off his eye lights as they neared an area with emergency lights.

Looking ahead, they kept going into the light, ATLAS hoped the symbiotic irony would go unnoticed by little Angie. As they neared the bright light, Angie saw a tall figure standing over a sparking pile. As ATLAS readied himself for battle again, Angie smiled wide. "Mr. Wheatley?" she shouted, waving her hand. ATLAS grabbed Angie and pulled her close.

"Tiny Human, is that you?" shouted the figure. Angie's eyes started pouring tears and she ran as fast as she could toward Wheatley.

Angie flung her construct down and ran with all her might. "Mr. Wheatley!" Angie ran with her arms stretched out, toward the light as Wheatley stepped out of the shadows. There he stood, sporting his goofy smile and all; ATLAS wasn't sure how she knew the difference without sensors, but somehow, Angie just knew. Angie grabbed onto Wheatley's long legs and sobbed softly.

Wheatley bent down and picked Angie up, holding her tightly and fighting his own tears in the process. "Oh, Tiny Human, you have no idea how relieved I am to see you." said Wheatley, choking back his tears as Angie cried into his shirt. "I left the garden to come look for you and the Androids. I was about to head upward when I found her." Wheatley pointed to P-Body's remains. ATLAS stumbled toward them, as soon as he was sure this was the real Wheatley.

"ATLAS…" Wheatley whispered as ATLAS approached. Completely ignoring Wheatley, ATLAS walked over to the sparking debris that was once P-body. Mostly intact, but badly damaged, P-Body's lifeless eyes gave ATLAS chills in his systems. She was broken and looked more like a damaged doll than anything now. Her smile gone, now all that sat there was a lifeless pair of lips. If he could cry, ATLAS would, but that would be the only time. ATLAS scooped up P-Body and held her close, as if comforting her.

Wheatley put Angie back down on the ground and walked over to ATLAS, placing his hand on ATLAS's shoulder. "I found her not too long ago. I'm very eager to hear what happened, Mate, but let's get back to Lil and Dr. Rattmann. Maybe he can fix her."

ATLAS nodded and let Wheatley lead the way. ATLAS carried his fallen companion close. Of all the times he wished he understood the odd functioning on his mechanical heart, this was one of them. Was it truly love he felt at this moment or the moment P-Body sacrificed herself to protect him? He could only wonder.

They walked on, silhouettes against the light toward the entrance to the garbage wing, where a secret tunnel lead toward the garden. They had a lot of work ahead of them. More than they knew…

* * *

><p>"Tsk…tsk…" murmured GLaDOS over the loudspeaker as her cameras zoomed in over the incinerator. "Too bad…he would have been a good addition to the family. Oh well, he was worthless anyway. I never intended on keeping him around. Just long enough to keep the child entertained while I finished my work."<p>

GLaDOS tried to find the upside to this set-back. If there was one, it was that her work was almost complete and all that was missing was Lil. Of course, the downside was that Angie was now gone and there was irreparable damage done to one of the Androids. She had hoped to keep them around after the transfer was done. After she reprogramed them, of course. She knew she was running out of time and she had wasted plenty of resources on trying to control this one set of humans.

If anything, she knew they had something planned and that they'd be back up soon. That's when she'd strike. GLaDOS chuckled and went back to busying herself with her project.

In the embers of the incinerator, flaming debris jumped around like popcorn. Nothing could survive down there without sufficient protection and GLaDOS didn't expect anything to leave the incinerator as she ignored the camera vision to that room. Had she been paying attention, she would have seen something emerge from the flaming debris, trying it's hardest to keep from falling over. She also would have heard its mechanical laughter, as if it had won the battle.

She also would have seen its busted eye glow blue and then slowly turn red. She would have known it was biding its time and it vowed revenge. In due time, of course. Nothing should be rushed, that was what it had learned through all this. Silently scheming, he plotted…he knew what he had to do.

He had to destroy the "fake" and reclaim what he thought was rightfully his…

* * *

><p><strong>N'cha, my lovelies!<strong>

**Oh my, I spent the LONGEST time on this chapter, but all in all, I am very happy with it. I hope you guys are too. Got some good news for you all! Well, depending on what one defines as good news. Okay, so it's kind of sad news, really. I have about three chapters left planned before this story ends. I want it to go out with a bang (figure of speech, nothing is blowing up, I promise), so I've decided that the next few chapters are probably going to be the longest ones yet. You guys like long chapters, right? I hope so, because the next one will be particularly long.**

**My next chapter? Oh yes, that reminds me. Next chapter is going to be Wheatley's final flashback. I know, you guys love the flashbacks, but like I promised, this will be the flashback to end all flashbacks. The entire chapter will be one big flashback. Why? Because I love you guys and I know your patience is growing thin with me. Haha, ahh…**

**More good news, my dears! I decided that since everyone responded so well to my characters, Lil and Angie McLain, that they will probably be appearing in future works as little cameos or even as central characters.**

**With each fic, they will change to fit that world, but do not fret: they will still be Lil and Angie, two sisters who are raising each other. In fact, I might have a little side project planned for those two for my fictionpress account.**

**Ahh, but in due time.**

**I've also decided I probably won't be doing a prequel to "Reconstructing Humanity". I tried putting down the preliminaries for it, and I believed I just about covered everything in chapter 12 (the rewrite, anyway) so don't really be expecting that anytime soon. But, a short sequel is actually in mind, so keep a look out for that!**

**OH! Before I forget…I want to wish one of my fans a big, awesome, happy birthday…soo….**

**HAPPY BIRTHDAY, TETRAJHO! *fireworks and a giant cake appear out of hammer space* I gave myself your birthday as a deadline and though I am a few hours over (bad Luna Peachie, bad!), I want to dedicate this chapter to you. I hope your birthday was wonderful.**

**Oh! And if you haven't already, I would love it if you guys went over to dA and faved and watched me. That way, you guys can be on the up and up on all my updates and odd musings. It's really a hoot, I promise you haha.**

**As always, my dears, review and be merry. I look forward to all comments and whatnot. You guys are the reason I keep writing. So please, feed my starving ego and review, fav, and enjoy. I'm just kidding, my ego isn't that inflated. Just speak from the heart, my dears. Review, and be merry.**

**GLaDOS, Wheatley, ATLAS, P-Body, and Dr. Rattmann belong to Valve.**


	26. Wheatley Come Home

_Reconstructing Humanity_

Wheatley Come Home

Their footsteps echoed against the walls as the little group reentered the Core Garden. It was a long walk, but well worth it to be back together finally. Soon, everything would be as it should be. Or at least they would be as soon as everything was patched up.

ATLAS carried his fallen companion close, not slowing down for anything (not that he needed to). He was a bit banged up and his face was cracked, not to mention some of the casing on his arms had come off in the fight with "Robo-Wheatley", as Angie dubbed it, but ATLAS was no worse for wear. P-Body, on the other hand, was almost in pieces. Angie commented earlier that P-Body looked a broken doll more than anything. She had a giant hole through her chest from Robo-Wheatley's impact and the fall caused some of her limbs to come loose, her right arm hanging by a few wires, for example.

But of all the things ATLAS couldn't stand to look at, it had to be her eyes. Usually a yellow-ish orange color, now they were grey as a storm cloud. Whenever he was sure Wheatley and Angie weren't looking, ATLAS cuddled P-Body close, as if comforting her.

Looking back every so often, Wheatley sighed softly, wishing there was more he could do. There probably was, but ATLAS yelled at him every time Wheatley tried to examine P-Body.

Wheatley kept Angie close, her little hand in his. In her other hand, she dragged her construct as they hurried along. He felt a little uneasy looking at "himself" so to speak, but he didn't say a word about it. Angie kept the sphere close while they walked along the broken tiled floor and watched as it slowly turned into a dirt path among the remnants of the old offices deep below the facility. The evolution of this particular area was pretty evident, and gave Wheatley a sense of life.

He remembered once watching a nature program with Lil and it played in his head. Something Lil remarked stayed with him: "The world will continue, even when we are gone…"

He wasn't sure why, but this echoed in his mind for a long time, as if he had heard it before. At the time, he tried not to let it bother him, and like everything else he didn't understand, he pushed it to the back of his mind and decided to deal with it another day. But as he evolved as a person and began to understand the things the girls taught him, Wheatley's interested in the statement waned and he eventually forgot about it…until now.

"Where…did you get that?" Wheatley asked softly, pointing to the construct. Angie lifted it up and smiled her big wide smile. She was dirty from running with the Androids and her hair was a mess, like it hadn't been out of those pigtails in days (they haven't). He knew Lil would have her bathe when they got back. Wheatley wondered if Dr. Rattmann had a bathing area or if he just used the makeshift stream.

"This is Mr. Metal Ball!" Angie shouted happily. "Miss Pee-Bee gave him to me before I left to go find Lil! She fixed him up real good but then Grandma fixed him up for me more." Wheatley got a little uneasy every time Angie referred to GLaDOS as "Grandma". That's all she talked about since he found her and the Androids. "He's special because Grandpa said you used to live in him. Was it cramped?" Angie's question made Wheatley chuckle, though he didn't really want to.

As they neared the garden, the sounds of the cores on the management rails started to bother Wheatley. He avoided the cores as much as possible, as being around them made his head hurt. The cores often looked at him and never stopped, as if they had a sense of familiarity with him. Not surprising, he used to be a core. But that was years ago, and now he was a human.

While he wanted to feel superior to the little metal spheres gliding all around them, Wheatley often looked upon them as equals. The Cores were blissfully happy with their preprogramed functions and nothing seemed to bother them. Wheatley envied them in that regard. He remembered being a core and though he had time to think about it now, Wheatley often felt that there was a good deal he was being forced to forget while he was one.

Feeling a little tug on his pant leg, Wheatley moved forward with Angie. ATLAS growled at Wheatley to move faster, clutching lifeless P-Body in his arms. P-Body had stopped sparking and twitching, but ATLAS didn't see that as a good sign. He saw it as time lost and angrily urged Wheatley forward.

When they finally reached the garden, they found cores waiting for them, as if they had been tipped off ahead of time. Lil sat with Dr. Rattmann, waiting with her arms crossed, as if she hadn't moved since Wheatley left. She probably hadn't, except when Dr. Rattmann insisted she have the Medic Core look at her again when she felt nauseous. She tirelessly explained to the doctor that she used to get nervous spells as a child and the gravity of the situation probably brought them back.

At least, she hoped that was it…

Angie looked forward and the first thing she saw was Lil stand up, her hands over her mouth. A smile emerged from Angie's filthy face as she threw down her construct toy and ran ahead to Lil. "Lil!" Angie shouted with happy tears in her eyes. Lil ran up to Angie and held her arms out. Angie jumped into her sister's arms and they cried happy tears together. Lil held Angie tightly, her own tears pouring down her cheeks like a waterfall as she kept her little sister close.

"Oh, Angie! I'm so glad to see you. You have no idea…" Lil whispered. Wheatley walked up and unknowingly stopped at the construct Angie threw down. He watched the sisters embrace and cry together. He had a feeling they had plenty of times like this and smiled. He looked up and noted the garden was dark again and lit by the cores. He didn't think they had been gone that long, but walking to one area of the facility often took a while, so he tried not to be surprised.

"You're not mad at me?" Angie whimpered as Lil cuddled her.

"Why would I be mad at you? I'm just glad you're okay. Don't ever do anything like that again, do you hear me? I don't know what I'd do if I lost you…" Lil kissed the top of Angie's head and stood up, her sister still in her arms. Lil ran up to Wheatley and kissed his cheek. "Thank you…" she whispered.

"Don't thank me, it was the Androids that saved her…at a great cost, it seems…" Wheatley pointed to ATLAS, who carried P-Body's lifeless body. Lil gasped loudly as ATLAS ran past them and looked around frantically. He shouted something and ran in the direction of the stream, where Dr. Rattmann sat, meditating.

ATLAS shook him out of his trance and looked at him, panicked. Dr. Rattmann watched ATLAS shout at him, holding up P-Body up and shaking her about. Dr. Rattmann didn't make any kind of facial expression and only nodded as ATLAS begged (in his mechanical language) to please help her. Dr. Rattmann guessed if he could, ATLAS would have tears flowing down his face. Calmly standing, Dr. Rattmann cleared his throat and instructed ATLAS to bring P-Body over to the exact center of the garden.

"What happened?" Lil whispered. Wheatley was too busy staring at the construct he held in his hands to answer. Lil felt Angie tug on her shirt. Lil looked down and forgot for a moment that she was holding Angie.

Angie looked like she had been crying a great deal, her cheeks still somewhat moist and dirty. Angie took a deep breath and started telling the simplified version of the occurrence, only very fast. "Miss Pee-Bee is hurt real bad, Lil. She's not smiling anymore and her eyes are all dark. Mr. ATLAS was fighting a fake Mr. Wheatley and he kept saying such mean things about you and the real Mr. Wheatley and he had a really creepy smile like that old guy you told me not to talk to in the park that one time and Miss Pee-Bee kept me safe while Mr. ATLAS was fighting fake Mr. Wheatley and…"

Lil shushed Angie's fast paced prattling. "Slow down, Kiddo…" Lil laughed, placing Angie on the ground. "Take a deep breath and start from the beginning. How did P-Body get hurt?" Lil asked. Angie took another deep breath and tried to keep from crying again. Lil looked up for a moment, noting that Wheatley wasn't paying attention to anything. Lil looked at her sister again and nodded, not really paying attention herself.

Dr. Rattmann cleared his throat and examined P-Body carefully. ATLAS watched anxiously as Dr. Rattmann glanced over each part of her, as if she were a human patient. Sitting on his knees, Dr. Rattmann patted his thighs and gave ATLAS a crooked smile. Lil and Angie soon joined him.

"Grandpa, can you fix her?" Angie asked anxiously. Dr. Rattmann looked at the little girl like a deer in headlights. He stared at Angie's big eyes as they formed little tears standing over P-Body's lifeless form. "Grandpa, please fix Miss Pee-Bee! You have to fix her! She got hurt really bad and now she won't wake up!" Angie shook Dr. Rattmann's arm, her bottom lip quivering as she begged for his help. Dr. Rattmann smiled softly and rubbed Angie's head.

Coughing softly away from Angie, Dr. Rattmann stood clumsily with his walking stick. "She's in bad shape, but I think I can fix her. She is offline, so she's basically trapped within herself. Without her original designs, it will be difficult and it might take longer, but I'll do what I can. Her being offline will make this easier, though not by much. But if I can yank a bullet out of a former construct's shoulder without killing him, I'm sure I can repair a sophisticated Android." Dr. Rattmann chuckled softly, which then turned into a light cough.

Expecting a rebuttal from Wheatley, Dr. Rattmann found he got no such satisfaction, as Wheatley was nowhere near them. Dr. Rattmann, with his walking stick, wandered over to Wheatley. Wheatley stared up at the management rails, watching the cores slowly go by. It filled him with a horrible nostalgia that he couldn't shake since waking up in the Core Garden. Beside his leg sat Angie's beloved construct, not moving. Dr. Rattmann bent down; despite the pain it caused him, and picked it up.

"Nostalgia can be a curse…" he muttered, handing the construct to Wheatley. Wheatley just stared deeply into the once blue eye of the construct. Without thinking about it, he pressed the eye softly. He was sent somewhat aback when music started playing. The eye lit up as the music played softly. "…but it can also be the one thing that keeps you from regrets. Keeps us on our toes…one of the most basic things a human can do is remember good times and bad…"

Dr. Rattmann meandered back towards the others to fetch his tools to repair P-Body. Wheatley looked up at the cores as they lit up and zoomed around on the rails. To Wheatley, it was like they were doing a little dance; a ritual of sorts to appease whatever deity would help Dr. Rattmann repair the broken doll that lay before them. Like fireflies, almost, as they lit up. All of a sudden, the song of the constructs stopped and soon started playing another song.

A pre-programed song, it seems. He held up his former self and closed his eyes as the other constructs started to sing along. Below, the cores sang as Dr. Rattmann got to work. Angie held onto Lil tightly while ATLAS looked on anxiously. Dr. Rattmann hooked up different cords from his console to P-Body, keeping an eye on her systems to make sure nothing malfunctioned as he worked.

The cores above tinged and tanged their little tune as a few started to sing. Wheatley recognized the song. Soon, nostalgia hit him like a train. He kept his eyes closed and let the familiarity take him back. He felt his mind melt into the tune of the cores. Wheatley felt his body become fuzzy…he felt himself become lost in the little song the cores sang…

As the memory swept over him, Wheatley felt a wave of emotions flow through his body. But the feeling he couldn't ignore out of all others…

…Wheatley felt…at home…

* * *

><p><em><strong>BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!<strong>_

With a groan and a stretch, Wheatley reached over and after a few unsuccessful tries, finally smashed his hand against the alarm clock button. He blinked softly and rose from his bed. Smacking his lips a few times, Wheatley looked around at the almost empty bedroom. It had been months, but he found he was finally starting to feel his life return to some kind of normality. Wheatley reached for his glasses and looked around the bedroom. He fought the urge to look at the right side of the bed, like he had become used to.

With a heavy sigh, Wheatley placed his hand on the cold pillow next to his own and stroked it softly. He sat there for a moment, trying to regain his composure. This had become Wheatley's routine. Wake up, make sure he wasn't dreaming, become disappointed that he wasn't, and talk himself out of bed.

"Alright, Wheatley, old boy, you can do this. It's been three months. You can do this." He muttered to himself every morning. Wheatley slowly got up, scratched his lower back (like usual) and finally forced himself to stand up on both of his long, twiggy legs. He turned his head for a moment when he thought he heard a soft giggle come from the right side of the bed.

Nothing.

Sighing again, Wheatley made his way to the bathroom to take his shower. Her shampoo was still in there, along with that fancy scented soap her mother sent her for her birthday. Wheatley never did get the point of scented soaps, but he liked the way it made Pam smell. This particular green soap with the seashell imprint made Pam smell like cucumbers. He liked the smell of cucumbers and it complimented Pam well.

Well, it used to, anyway. Wheatley stared at the ceiling of the shower as the water hit him hard. He usually detested starting his mornings with a shower, preferring the take one at night after work, but Wheatley just felt the need to shower this morning. It felt like he was washing the sadness away. Without realizing it, Wheatley picked up the green bar of soap and stared at it before he could do anything. He smiled softly and sniffed it. A whirlwind of memories in just one sniff.

He could almost hear Pam yell at him to save her some hot water or that she knew he was using her shampoo. Wheatley placed the bar of soap down and sighed. He fought back the tears when he thought he heard Pam yelling at him that breakfast was ready. "I'll be out in…" he stopped himself from yelling the rest of that statement and turned the water off. "I'll be out in a minute, love…" he whispered as the water twirled down the drain. Wheatley reached for his towel, which hung on the rack outside the shower.

After drying off and getting dressed, Wheatley sat down to his bowl of cereal at the kitchen counter. He read the paper as he ate. Nothing new in the news; a robbery here, car accident there, government destroying the economy and stocks going every which way, as per usual. Crunching softly, Wheatley put the paper down and looked over at the edge of the counter. There sat the picture of him and Pam. He wasn't sure why, but it seemed to face itself back up each time Wheatley put it face down.

"Don't look at me like that…" he murmured, getting up with his bowl. "I'm not in the mood. I know what you're going to say, and I can't smile right now. I just…" Wheatley walked to the other side of the counter to the sink and put his bowl in. He looked away. "…I need to get over you, but it's hard with you staring at me all the damn time!"

Wheatley grabbed the picture frame and glared at it. "…I…how could you be so selfish?" he muttered, fighting back the tears. "…all I did for you and you had to leave me…" Wheatley clutched the picture tightly and held it high, aiming for the kitchen trash can. "I…Pam…" he muttered, clenching the picture and bringing his arm down. This wasn't the first time he had attempted to "Throw Pam Away", but he vowed it would be the last.

He hugged the picture tightly. "I'm sorry, Love…it's hard for me. I know it's been months, but it feels like yesterday that I woke up with you in my arms. Sometimes, it's the stupid things about what we had that I miss the most. Do you remember when we first moved in together and you kept waking me up because I kept sprawling out on the bed and almost knocking you off? It felt weird getting used to having someone next to me, but I got used to it. Just like you got used to my loud chewing…you'd imitate me to get me to stop. You knew I couldn't stand it." He chuckled as he held the picture tightly. "I miss you…everything about you…"

Wheatley smiled softly and placed the picture face down. "But…just for a little while longer…please, forgive me but I can't look at you…"

Luckily for Wheatley, Aperture was pretty dress casual. Lucky because Wheatley hadn't done his laundry in over a week and the only clean shirt he had was a short sleeve dress button up. His black slacks (unbeknownst to everyone at Aperture, his only pair) were still relatively clean. He dusted them off a few times and felt his hand hit something in the pocket. Reaching in, he found the ring box he had been keeping at his desk. If by instinct or curiosity, Wheatley opened the box to see the ring.

Yep, it was still inside. The ring he had spent every penny he had on just to sit in the box, mocking him. He closed the box tightly and clenched his hand around it. Fighting back the urge to cry, Wheatley went to the junk drawer in the kitchen and tossed the box in it. Behind the kitchen scissors, miscellaneous utensils, old ketchup packets, and numerous take-out menus, the little green box sat all alone as Wheatley closed the drawer.

Bachelor living didn't suit Wheatley anymore. Before Pam, Wheatley would have gone much longer without doing laundry and the apartment would have been a wreck, just like his old hole-in-the-wall apartment from before he and Pam moved in together. Wheatley had gotten used to having someone yell at him for leaving his socks on the bedroom floor or not rinsing off his dish off before putting it in the dishwasher. He was used to someone greeting him at the door when he got home from work and dinner being just about ready when he got out of his work clothes. It already seemed like he and Pam were already married. All that was missing was the wedding and all the other unimportant details.

When told by his other bachelor friends (namely Harvey) to make the best of it, Wheatley tried to "live the free life" but whatever plans he'd make often fell short due to lack of interest or whatever excuse he'd make up to not leave the apartment. He often found himself just sitting in front of the TV watching old sitcoms or playing video games or cleaning up just to keep himself occupied.

When it came down to it, Wheatley found it hard to function without Pam. But like Harvey told him numerous times: "Make the best of it."

_Make the best of it…_ Wheatley believed that to be the worst advice anyone could ever give a grieving man.

Sometime later, Wheatley finally put on his shoes and reached for his work bag. "I'll be home around five…" he announced to the empty apartment. He felt he might as well not hold it back anymore. "You don't have to wait up if you don't want to…" Wheatley pulled the strap to his work bag over his shoulder and grabbed his keys. "…I love you…"

Shutting and locking the door, Wheatley trotted down the steps and toward his car. "Mr. Pendleton!" shouted one of the neighbor kids. He looked over at the group of children running around the bottom floor toward the bus stop. He smile softly and waved to the kids as he trotted down. "Mr. Pendleton, my Aunt Lacy is in town and she's looking for a date!" giggled the neighbor girl again.

Wheatley chuckled softly as he made his way to his car. "No, thank you!" Wheatley fake laughed as he got into his car. Placing his work bag on the passenger seat, Wheatley watched in his rearview mirror at the neighbor kids, making sure no one was behind him. Amazingly, he drove better in the states than he ever did in England, though he wasn't sure why. As he drove down the road, he passed by the front office, where the landlord was checking his mail. He waved to Wheatley, and Wheatley waved back with a soft smile.

Wheatley drove down the same roads, toward the same highway, towards the same place of employment as he always did. Wheatley never assumed anything about this day would be like any other. Except for one thing: he finally decided to go into Caroline's office (willingly, without the need to report another accident he caused) and have a nice long talk. He smiled sadly, but felt a glimmer of hope.

The parking lot was unusually light this morning, as opposed to the usual crammed feel. Wheatley smiled; maybe today wouldn't be so bad after all. He usually left a little early to allot himself some time to find a parking space, but today he might actually be on time.

The moment he got to his desk and set his bag down, the mailroom kid sat a stack of letters on his desk. Wheatley didn't care too much for the mailroom kid. Usually he got Wheatley's letters wrong and was always trying to flirt with the front desk girl (and often got scolded by Caroline). As he sat down and sorted through his mail, a conversation in the back of the offices caught his attention. It didn't sound like anything too interesting, but something about it made Wheatley pay extra attention.

"…so, is it true what I heard about Miss Caroline…" whispered one of the other office drones.

"Yeah, just a few nights ago, I believe. The legal department finally found her and they went over everything with her. She seemed oddly alright with it." The Front Desk girl sighed and looked around to make sure no one was listening. Wheatley had gotten used to blending into the background. "The guys in legal said Mr. Johnson's will was very specific about what he wants, from her and the company. I didn't hear much, except the words 'iron clad' and 'no way out of it' and 'it's your duty to science' were mentioned numerous times. It also stated that he wanted the GLaDOS project up and running before the end of the year. And you know Miss Caroline…" The front office girl held her files close. "Mr. Johnson was right to put her in charge of this place. Miss Caroline is a shining example to us all." The front office girl looked like she was about to cry as she walked away to finish her work. She walked right past Wheatley, which he found off as lately she would stop to flirt with him.

Wheatley swallowed hard and started stacking the mail in two piles (his and someone else's). He looked at one envelope and saw he wasn't addressed. It only had Wheatley's name written in red ink in the most beautiful cursive he had ever seen. Wheatley started to open it when he heard a familiar voice call his name (or, his last name, rather). "Pendleton!"

Turning around, Wheatley smiled as Harvey walked up to him with a big smile. Out of all the people he missed from his internship, Harvey was the one he missed the most. Harvey had gotten a position in the robotics department and from what his phone calls mentioned, they were working on some "pretty gnarly stuff" according to Harvey. Wheatley liked the way Harvey talked. Harvey spoke typical American lingo (to Wheatley at least) with an accent not from the region, though Wheatley couldn't pinpoint where exactly. He decided to ask Harvey over lunch where he was from.

"Hey, Pendleton! You're early for once!" Harvey laughed as he walked up to Wheatley's desk. Wheatley laughed and put his opened letter down. "You want to come down to the labs and see what we're working on before Smith arrives?"

Wheatley knew Harvey and Smith worked in the same department now, but they rarely crossed paths. For that, Harvey (and Wheatley) was thankful. But ever since the incident between Wheatley and Smith, Harvey hadn't seen much of his friend. Not that he was banned from the labs or anything. Wheatley was a pivotal part of the GLaDOS project. Whenever Smith wasn't around, they'd bring Wheatley down to the labs to have him go over forms and new coding for the program to look over. When asked where Smith was, the lab techs would only state that he had been given other work to do. Wheatley often saw Smith stalking around the hallways, so he knew that he hadn't been "transferred" or "quit".

"That sounds fun, Mate. I'll meet you down there. I just have to go see Miss Caroline real quick." Wheatley stood up and straightened himself out a bit.

"Miss Caroline isn't here." Harvey mentioned as Wheatley made sure his shirt was buttoned right and his name tag was on correctly. "I just got here and I didn't see her car in its usual spot. But I usually get here before she does anyway, so don't sweat it." Harvey seemed very excited about whatever it was he was doing down in the labs. "I need a little input on the program that we're using for a repair job I'm doing."

Wheatley chuckled a bit. "I knew there was a catch."

Harvey chuckled softly and looked over at his friend. "Hey, it's your program that we're using; you should know that you're more important to the GLaDOS project than anyone." Harvey looked at Wheatley and smiled softly. "You should give yourself more credit."

Wheatley nodded, noting that Pam would have said the same thing. "How's that coming along, anyway?" he asked as Harvey led him to the elevator. "No one lose an arm in anything yet, have they?" Wheatley chuckled as he and Harvey left the offices and walked down the hallway to the elevator.

"…not the whole arm…" Harvey chuckled nervously. Wheatley was praying to whatever deity watched over him that Harvey was joking. Harvey pressed the button for the elevator and stood on his heels. "You know, you're still something of a celebrity down in the labs." Harvey mentioned off-handedly as the elevator doors opened. Wheatley sighed softly as they boarded. It had been a little while and Wheatley was surprised that everyone was still talking about the incident.

The elevator rides always terrified Wheatley. "I don't want to talk about it." Wheatley sighed as he watched the numbers count down over him. Harvey nodded and the uncomfortable elevator ride continued. "I don't like how people are still treating me like some kind of hero. I'm not a hero. I bloodied the man up and I should be punished, but for some reason I'm being treated like a saint. It's not right." Wheatley murmured as the numbers kept going down. Harvey sighed and nodded.

Reaching their floor, Harvey disembarked from the elevator first. Wheatley followed behind closely, never liking the labs much. Everything about the labs gave him the creeps. Harvey handed Wheatley a lab coat and told him to stay close, advice Wheatley didn't need to be told twice. Everything looked business as usual in the labs, which was odd considering.

"Remember the Personality Constructs?" Harvey finally asked, as he swapped his I.D. card into a scanner. Wheatley nodded as the door beeped and let the two into a specific lab. "Well, they got me working on them." Harvey revealed as he showed Wheatley to his desk. Wheatley gulped softly and loosened his tie. "Don't worry, Pendleton, I didn't bring you down here for that. They don't have me working on the 'messy' parts, thankfully. When they told me I'd be working on them, I prayed harder than I ever have before to not get that job. I couldn't drink enough to tolerate that job."

Harvey pushed a few buttons on his keyboard and the screen started up. "They got me working on the mechanical stuff. You know, auto/body stuff, so to speak. I'm here to make sure your program fits well with their initial hardware. I also keep tabs on them, to see if they need anything. If any of them break down, they are sent to me."

Wheatley smiled softly. "So, whenever one needs an oil change, they bring it to you?" Wheatley chuckled softly. Harvey chuckled too and nodded as he started typing again. Harvey typed rapidly and then stopped, taking a cord and hooking it up to the construct on his desk and then to his computer. With the gracefulness of a dragonfly on water, Harvey loaded the program on his screen into the little metal sphere. After a minute or so, the computer dinged, letting him know the upload was complete.

"Their designations are what they are programed for initially, but we can program them to do other functions, as well. So they can be put to use when not hooked up to the Super A.I. Take this one, for instance." Harvey patted the sphere softly. "We keep having problems with this one. We call him 'Rick'; he's the adventure sphere, but he keeps breaking down. We put him in charge of helping around the company daycare; to entertain the children, but he normally ends up scaring them. He likes to jump off his management rail whenever no one is around." Harvey unhooked the construct from the cable and reached inside, flipping a switch. "Good morning, Rick! Your handler brought you back to me to fix you again."

The green optic of the "Adventure Sphere" blinked a few times and then focused on Harvey and Wheatley. "Oh no, not you again!" it shouted. Wheatley was somewhat taken aback. He didn't think the Personality Constructs would be so active. "Why do they keep sending me to you?"

"You hopped off your rail again, Rick. We keep telling you not to do that. I don't care what you think, but you don't have a parachute installed in you. I should know, I helped build you." Harvey sighed as he picked up Rick, turning him around to make sure he wasn't too badly damaged. "…and each time you do it, it's from a higher point and it's becoming too expensive to keep fixing you."

"Rick" chuckled and spun his optic around. "Well, you obviously don't have the spirit of adventure in you, Nerd Boy!" he shouted as Harvey stood up. "I was built to take chances! One of these days this place is going to depend on my zombie hunting, alien fighting skills and I'll be waiting patiently for you personally to come begging for my help. And I'll be like 'No way! You didn't believe in me! Now, leave me alone, I have to go save that cute girl over there from that pack of wolves…on fire!' Yeah, wolves on fire…"

As "Rick" rambled on, Harvey shook his head and handed him to Wheatley. "Do me a favor and hook him up to the management rail outside. I think his handler will be happy to see him…or sad that his break from keeping Rick out of trouble is over. Either way, he needs to go back. Don't worry; I programed the arm on the rail to go straight to his handler's office."

Wheatley nodded and held "Rick" close, leaving Harvey's office and looking up. "Adventure Sphere…ain't that something…" Wheatley murmured. "You should be more responsible. I don't know how many more times Harvey will fix you before he can do no more. Life is very unpredictable. You might have people who love you that would miss you if…" Wheatley stopped himself and sighed, looking down at the Sphere cradled in his arms. The Adventure Sphere didn't seem to be paying attention.

"You look familiar, Poindexter." The Adventure Sphere said as Wheatley turned him around to face his optic. "Rick" squinted his optic a bit and then it widened somewhat, as if surprised. "You know, Rick kind of remembers being in a room and then a bunch of static happened…but I think I saw your picture among a bunch of others on a table. I don't know, probably having a bet to see who's less manly than me." Rick laughed, self-assuredly. Wheatley shook his head and held Rick up. Rick magnetically attached himself to the rail and looked down on Wheatley. "Wow, you're a tall feller, ain't ya? I could use a guy like you as my side-kick. Yeah, picture it, Nerdy, me and you: Rick, the Super Awesome Adventure Sphere and his side-kick…Tall, Skinny Glasses Boy…that Talks Funny!"

Wheatley waved to "Rick" as he zoomed off in another direction. "His handler must have his arms full with that one." Wheatley muttered as he reentered Harvey's office. "Which reminds me; how come there have been so many of those things around, lately? I know they're trying to phase out human testing down in the Enrichment Center, but human workers, too?"

Harvey shook his head. "No, it's for the Super A.I., remember?" Harvey turned off his computer screen and reached into his desk, pulling out a small stack of papers. "As per Mr. Johnson's last requests, he wants the Super A.I. to be perfect. So, they are having us make the Constructs ahead of time. The Constructs are also Corrupted Cores; kind of like the core of the A.I., except…well, corrupted. In case the A.I. decides to go rogue, we can attach a construct or 'core' onto it to distract it while we figure out the problem. Think of them as a conscience." Harvey answered, simply. "They can hook into the Super A.I. from their ports on their backs. If we ever need to work on it, we can hook these cores onto it to distract it or to lull it should it get overexcited."

Wheatley wasn't sure what all the fuss was about. To him, every time anyone mentioned the "Super A.I.", he just thought about a giant computer. "But they also have functions around the facility. Might as well get our money's worth for building them. When not in use, they can do a number of other things."

"Bloody brilliant." Wheatley muttered, crossing his arms.

Nodding, Wheatley watched as Harvey put a pen and the forms in front of him. "They dropped this off this morning. I assume it's the basic 'See Spot Run' that you've read a bunch of times on the other forms. You know the drill; glance at it and then sign it."

As Wheatley slowly clicked the pen top, He couldn't help but notice Harvey eying him down a bit. It made Wheatley very uncomfortable. He didn't know why Harvey would have a form for Wheatley to sign, but it didn't matter too much to Wheatley. The last few months saw him signing plenty of forms. Harvey looked like he wanted to stop Wheatley, but retracted his hand as Wheatley signed his signature on the bottom line.

Harvey hastily took the forms away and rolled them up, putting them in a clear cylinder container. "Alright…I'll have this filed away. Honestly, this whole Super A.I. business has me getting bad vibes. I'm proud of you for getting the program accepted, but at the same time…" Harvey said softly. Harvey looked like he didn't want to talk about the papers Wheatley just signed. "Hey, you know we got that 'Bring Your Daughter to Work Day' thing coming up." Harvey murmured, trying his hardest to change the subject.

"Yeah, kids running around the labs…sounds like another field trip day to me." Wheatley murmured, not looking forward to having children climbing all over him again.

Harvey sighed and reclined in his chair. "Yeah, those suck. But they say it will boost morale. You've noticed the place has been lacking in the morale department since Mr. Johnson bit the big one, you know? Well, they plan to have the Super A.I. up and running on that day. Practically, that might be impossible. The Super A.I. is still a few months off, so luckily the 'Bring Your Daughter' day will be too. But they got me and some of the other engineers working on a special treat for the kids when they come in."

Harvey typed at his computer and clicked on a file. "This is the latest file all the constructs are getting. After the Super A.I. is activated for the kids, they are going to go into the labs and be treated to a little concert featuring the cores!" Harvey smiled wide and directed his mouse cursor over a file and clicked it. "They have so much fun stuff planned for those kids, but I've been working on this personally. Well, they told me to do it, but it's still a personal project. Each of the constructs will have the preprogramed melody in them. After all the cute little activities the higher ups have planned, the constructs are going to sing to them. Right now, I only have a lullaby programed, but I hope to have more in the future. What do you think?"

Though Harvey looked happily hopeful as the music box like music started playing from his computer speakers, Wheatley wasn't so sure. He had seen only a few of the constructs around the facility and they gave him the creeps. "Well, children will find anything entertaining, mate. Give them a bit of string and a flashlight and they're distracted for hours…sounds kind of fun, now that I think about it." Wheatley chuckled. Harvey couldn't help but nod in agreement. "Well, either way, I'm glad they're keeping us both busy. Lately I've just had this overwhelming sense of…doom." Wheatley murmured. "I keep hearing things. People quitting, people not coming back from testing…it's getting quite scary, if I'm honest."

The two men stared at each other for a bit, as if reading each other's thoughts. "Hell, it might only be a matter of time before…I don't want to think about such things. Maybe its best left for a night out at the pub, wouldn't you say?" Wheatley smiled and winked.

"You, come out drinking? Wow, is this a whole new Wheatley Pendleton?" Harvey laughed.

"Pam didn't like it when I went out drinking, but I know she wouldn't want me cooped up in the apartment all night playing video games and eating take-out when I could be out at least attempting to have a life. She'd yell at me if I didn't go out with my best friend. What do you say, mate, first round's on me?" Wheatley smiled and Harvey nodded with a laugh.

Harvey looked like he was feeling guilty and forced another smile. "I'll hold you to it, Pendleton. Now, I think we should both get back to work before those pre-recorded messages catch us." Harvey laughed as Wheatley took off his lab coat.

Wheatley nodded his good-bye and left his friend in his office. Harvey stewed there for a moment, unsure of what to do. He didn't want to do this. He hated the Super A.I. project more than anything. He hated that Wheatley was a big part of it. But most of all, he hated the knowledge he had just uncovered a few minutes before Wheatley entered the labs. Harvey knew it was already too late. He figured it'd only be a matter of time before they came for him as well. When he knew Wheatley wasn't looking, Harvey took the forms out of the tube and clenched them tightly.

"…and with one pen stroke…" he murmured softly as he looked at Wheatley's signature. "…our fate is sealed…"

_Later That Evening_

It was pretty late. He didn't mean to stay so late, but it couldn't be helped. Wheatley was given so much to do. It was like they needed him to do all of it before he went on vacation or something. Wheatley didn't understand why everyone was treating him like he had signed his resignation and sent it in. He wasn't going anywhere. At least, he hoped he wasn't. Maybe he was being fired soon and the office grapevine caught wind of it before he did.

Deep down, Wheatley hoped he was being fired. He didn't have the courage to face Caroline and tell her he wanted to quit. He often played around with the thought of quitting, even before Pam's unfortunate passing; probably as early as his internship. Something in his mind was telling him this was a mistake. This whole place was a mistake. Hell, he and the other former interns were still in the computers as interns, for crying out loud! He figured it was a ploy to keep from paying them regular salaries until the legal department caught on.

It didn't matter to Wheatley. He was just happy to have something to do to keep his mind off…well, it didn't matter.

As Wheatley packed his work bag, he couldn't help but get the sense that he was being watched. Every time he turned around, no one would be there. The feeling got stronger when he started making his way to his car. He felt the need to walk faster and when he finally made it to his car, the feeling of being watched left him. Wheatley locked his doors and put his work bag beside him on the passenger side seat. Wheatley carefully turned on his way and left the parking lot.

As he left, he noted that Caroline's car wasn't in its parking spot. He had tried all day to get into Caroline's office, but he kept getting stopped by one thing or another. To make things creepier, every time he went near the labs, the scientists would stop and stare at him. He thought he heard one of them whisper "dead man walkin'" as Wheatley passed by. He ignored it, of course, but it still gave him a bad feeling.

Lately, all he had been feeling at work was the sensation of impending doom. Something wasn't right, but he couldn't think about that now. He had to meet Harvey for a few drinks and Harvey often started without him. After making sure he was clear, Wheatley left the Aperture Science parking lot and zoomed down the road.

Getting used to driving in the States took Wheatley some time, but he found it quite enjoyable. His car, a nice Honda Civic he had bought off an old lady for cheap to teach her wandering husband a lesson, got him anywhere he needed to be. What he enjoyed most about this car (besides paying _well_ below the blue book value for it) was that it was blue. That was a big selling point for Wheatley. He always enjoyed the color blue. Pam often told him the color blue suited him well.

Pam…

Wheatley slowed down as soon as he came to the gas station on the edge of the city and parked. He didn't want to do this tonight. Wheatley didn't want to sit in his car, miss time with his best friend, and sulk. Not wanting to look crazy, Wheatley bought some gas (though he didn't really need any, he just put about five dollars in anyway) and left the service station.

Deciding to go home and change real quick, Wheatley slowly walked up the steps to his apartment and then stopped midway through. There was that weird feeling again. Someone was watching him, this time he was sure of it as he whipped his head around. Nothing. What was going on? Was all the stress of work finally getting to him? He hoped not. He wanted to at least attempt to enjoy his evening.

Pam would have wanted him to enjoy his night out with Harvey. Maybe not drinking, but she would have wanted him to get out of the apartment. Wheatley opened his apartment door and locked it behind him, throwing his work bag on the couch and walking to the bedroom. After getting dressed, he decided to make himself a snack. Eating before drinking usually made it so Wheatley didn't get completely plastered. He ignored his game system and made himself a sandwich.

"Sorry, imaginary citizens of the lost kingdom…" Wheatley chuckled as he finished his sandwich. Grabbing his keys again, Wheatley made his way to the door. The game system sat under his television, like a puppy who wanted attention. Wheatley had actually fiddled with the idea of getting a dog, but he didn't want to pay the pet deposit. "Get someone else to fight those dragons. I have my own demons to slay." He murmured as he left.

There was that feeling again. Even as he drove down Cobblestone Drive and left the apartment complex, Wheatley could swear someone was following him. He wasn't sure what to make of it. Who would want to follow him around? Wheatley's life was pretty dull outside of Aperture. If he wasn't at work, he was at home, playing video games or watching television waiting to go back to work. Was the company concerned that Wheatley wasn't a good worker? All he did lately was work.

Wheatley stopped at a stop light and looked in his rearview mirror. Only a few cars were behind him, but nothing suspicious or anything to make note of. He continued to drive and turned on the radio, hoping it would take his mind off of it. "Imagine" by John Lennon was playing. Wheatley always liked this song.

As soon as the feeling had left, Wheatley found himself driving more peacefully. Wheatley always liked this song, but he loved it more when he had found out Pam liked this song too. It played on their first official date and when she mentioned she liked the song, he knew they'd share something special. He felt the song described Pam very well. She could be practical, but she loved peace. She was such a peaceful person. It's why he loved her so much…it's why he missed her.

Wheatley stopped his car at the bar he agreed to meet Harvey at and sat back in his seat. "Why did I agree to do this?" he murmured softly. "I shouldn't be here. I should be at home…" he muttered softly as he leaned his head back. It took everything he could muster, but he finally got out of his car. The bar didn't look too full tonight, which was good. The plan (in his head) was to have a few beers with Harvey and then go home to his game, which was waiting for him to slay a cursed dragon god (or whatever the plot of that game was, he wasn't sure).

The moment he walked in, he saw Harvey at the bar. Harvey looked up and waved him over. Wheatley smiled and made his way over. Sitting down, Wheatley ordered a beer and started taking out his wallet. "No, I got it tonight, Pendleton…" said Harvey, who sounded kind of sad. Even though Wheatley promised to pay, Harvey was strangely insistent. Harvey looked like he was about to say good-bye to someone leaving and never coming back and it scared Wheatley a bit.

Trying to lighten the mood, Wheatley happily opened his beer and took a swig. "So, as it turns out, those tips you gave me really worked! You were right; once you figure out how to play, that game is really good. I'm glad you recommended it to me. Hey, that reminds me, I haven't seen you on LIVE in a while. I thought we were going to play a round of Nazi Zombies the other night." Harvey chuckled at Wheatley's prattling. "You know what it feels like to feel you've been stood up for an online killing spree? Reminds me of the time I was stood up in high school, except not as humiliating…"

"Pendleton…I want you to know something…" Harvey muttered. Harvey looked like he had already been drinking quite a bit before Wheatley had gotten there. He didn't sound drunk, though. "I want you to know that you're the best friend I've had in years. You're the one person at that Aperture dump that I can talk to and not feel like I'm going to be reported to the higher ups. You are an honest to goodness guy and you don't deserve any of…well, you're a great guy. You deserve to live a happy life with a home, a family, and all that other nice gooey crap you like to go on about…"

Wheatley looked at Harvey strangely and took another swig of his beer. Harvey looked like he was fighting back tears. "If there is anything you can do for me…please, Pendleton…don't go into work tomorrow."

"Are you crazy, mate! I used up all my sick days at the hospital with Pam, I can't afford to…"

"PLEASE, Pendleton…" Harvey muttered loudly. "If you do insist on coming in…then avoid the labs at all costs. I'm asking you as my friend…"

Wheatley had never seen Harvey this upset. What was going on? Wheatley played with his bottle and sighed. "What's this about, Harvey? Is Smith still after me?" Wheatley asked angrily. Harvey looked like he was chuckling as he shook his head and took a swig again.

"Smith will be the least of your worries. But he doesn't know…he made me do it and now look what's about to happen! He doesn't know he's on the list too…" Harvey took another swig and asked for another beer. The bartender looked like she was starting to lose patience with Harvey, but she kept the beer coming. "He thinks he's some kind of special, but no one is exempt when they put you on the lists! Permission or not, they'll find you, and make you give your consent! That's how they keep the next of kin from suing if anything goes wrong or from poking their noses where they don't belong! But Smith…he doesn't know he's on the list too!" Harvey laughed drunkenly, slamming his fist on the bar.

Before Wheatley could say anything, Harvey faced him and shook his head. "It's a secret…but you'll find out." He muttered drunkenly.

Though he usually loved his time with Harvey, Wheatley decided to keep it short tonight. Something wasn't right. It was like there was a huge secret that no one would let him in on. Wheatley didn't like being out of the loop, considering the secret was about him. Wheatley patted Harvey on the back and slowly got up. "I'm going to call it a night, Harvey. Will you be alright?" he muttered as he got up from his bar stool.

Harvey sighed and took another long swig from his beer. "Wheatley, I want you to know I value your friendship above everything. If it weren't for you, I don't think I'd be able to get up in the mornings. I was happy that you had a girl like Pam. Actually, I was jealous." Wheatley watched as Harvey laughed softly. He was starting to get a little creeped out. "Everyone was jealous, but for different reasons. It won't matter soon, so let me give it to you straight…"

Wheatley sat back down. "Jacobson is gone. He didn't make it past the third test chamber. McIntyre is probably testing right now, if the roster I found on my computer is correct. I don't know when they'll come for Darzi, but seeing as his name wasn't on today's testing roster, it doesn't look good. I'm not on it because I signed a deal with the devil himself. But I didn't know the conditions! I didn't read it and neither did you!" Harvey grabbed Wheatley's collar and shook him a bit. "Nothing matters, anymore! You either work there or you die there or both! No gray area. None…we signed our lives away the moment we were hired. I didn't think it was that bad, but when I saw the roster for…"

Not bothering to make sure Harvey was going to be alright, Wheatley left the bar and his friend rambling drunkenly. While he didn't want to leave the poor bartender to the sobbing mess that was his friend, Wheatley felt it would be best if he just left all together. The moment he left the bar, the feeling of being watched came back. Wheatley tried not to think about Harvey's wild rambling and just summed it up to the ramblings of a very drunk and depressed man.

While driving, Wheatley kept thinking about what Harvey had told him. About Jacobson and the other interns he had served with. "Mandatory Volunteerism" is what they called it when you received a letter in your mail at work "requesting" that you come down to the Enrichment Center for testing. Those who had survived it didn't like to talk about it. Wheatley didn't think Aperture was short on subjects. He always assumed people would need money and seeing as the company had a history of gathering random people off the streets and buying out the rights to use prisoners and mental care patients in certain tests, Wheatley didn't see the need for the company to start plucking people from their desks.

Of course, as the instructor once told him and his fellow interns: "You're the Red Shirts of Aperture. You're expendable. As interns, your importance is only slightly above that of the test subjects in the Enrichment Center."

Wheatley always assumed he said that to make them work harder. It certainly worked for Wheatley, who wouldn't even have this job if it weren't for the project he had worked on. Everyone was so proud of him, but he was starting to get sick of it. Everything was happening because of him, so why did he feel like someone punched him in the stomach?

Pam refused to let him think that way. If she were sitting beside him, she'd yell at him for letting the words of the Instructor, who obviously hated his job, get to him. But Wheatley remembered that Pam was gone and the passenger side seat was bare. He gripped the steering wheel tightly.

Wheatley turned down the opposite road at the stop light where he usually turned left. He kept driving until he reached the park. Something in his subconscious told Wheatley to come here tonight. He stepped out of his car and onto the pavement. It was a crisp night, so he didn't need a jacket but he still felt the need to wear one anyway.

The park was an important place to Wheatley. It was where he'd spend his days before his internship, entertaining passersby with a little strumming. It was where he met Pam, when she shyly walked up to him and asked him to play "Moon River" again. Wheatley plopped himself on one of the swings along the path and watched as couples passed by, enjoying the cool air and the lights. It had rained recently and the lights reflected off the droplets on the chain of his swing.

Ignoring his wet hind quarters from sitting on the wet swing, Wheatley slowly starting moving the swing with his legs and continued to watch as people passed by. Wheatley envied each passing couple. He could have sworn he heard Pam giggle as the swing next to him moved with the soft, cold wind. Wheatley sighed softly and looked up at the moon behind the retreating rain clouds.

"_Push me, Wheatley!"_

With a jolt, Wheatley swung his head around and stared at the swing next to him. It swung softly but remained vacant. This place was special to Wheatley. He spent time here when he waited for employment. He had met the woman he loved in this very park. Wheatley tried to keep himself from crying, but it was no use. His eyes watered up as the wind blew colder. Phantoms of himself walking with Pam down the path toward the pond played out in front of him. Wheatley missed having Pam on his arm.

Forcing himself off the swing, Wheatley slowly walked toward the pond. The lights of the city reflected in the pond and brought back more memories. He stood still in one specific spot and sighed. It was the spot where he sat when he met Pam and on this spot, he had planned to propose to her. Wiping his eyes and readjusting his glasses, Wheatley regretted not bringing the ring. He wanted more than anything to toss it into the pond. It may not be worth emptying out his savings for, but the temporary feeling of letting go would have been.

"Oh Pam…why did you leave me?" Wheatley whimpered as the wind blew ripples on the pond. "I don't know if you knew…but I planned on asking you to marry me in the same spot we met at. Remember? I was playing the guitar and you asked me to keep playing that song? Then we went and got some pasta at that cheap Italian restaurant down the road. Their food was good and I could overlook that their breadsticks were stiff enough to kill a man, but just being with you…oh, Pam, I can't do this without you…"

Wheatley sat on a nearby bench (cold and wet, of course) and sobbed softly. "People keep telling me to get over it, but I can't just get over you. People act like you were just some kind of hobby that can be put away on a shelf when I get bored. But you weren't…you were the woman I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. You were the only woman who would give me the time of day and now you're gone. I'll never find another woman like you and honestly…if I'm honest…I don't think I want to."

Standing up again, Wheatley walked to the edge of the pond. "…but if I do one day find someone who makes me feel as great…as hopeful…as _human_ as you made me feel, I won't forget you, Pam. I promise you, Pamela, that I will keep you in my heart for all time. I love you, Pam…"

Wheatley started sobbing, unable to control the tears flowing down his face. "I love you, Pamela Jameson, for all time."

As Wheatley watched the ripples on the pond, he could have sworn he felt a kiss on his cheek. Wheatley left the park not long after that. He drove home and fought the urge to turn on his game system to see if Harvey was online. He walked to the bedroom and lay on his side of the bed. Wheatley stared at the ceiling for a good while until he finally drifted off to sleep, alone in his bed.

_Wheatley…come home, Wheatley…_

Though it sounded like an alarm clock, Wheatley was awakened by his phone ringing. He let the phone ring, hoping whoever was calling this early would give up. After about five rings (how long he usually gave someone to answer), it still rang. He only knew of one person who wouldn't hang up until they got an answer or the answering machine. And even then, would call back. Wheatley reached for his glasses and put them on while reaching or the phone with his other hand.

"Hello? Oh, hi, Mum…" Wheatley sighed softly, trying to hold back his yawn. "What…oh, that's nice. It's been twenty years coming, Dad getting a promotion...what? No, I didn't get your letter yet…you what? Mum, I told you guys to stop sending me money! I'm doing fine! Just because Pam isn't here anymore doesn't mean I'm completely helpless!"

Wheatley listened to his mother for a bit and sighed. Something she mentioned (and had mentioned many times before) struck a chord with him. "What? A little time away to sort things out does sound like a good idea, actually. Well…alright, Mum, you've made your point. I didn't use up any vacation days, so I guess I can come home for a while. I do miss you guys a lot…yes, Mum, I'll see if I can get some time cleared and I'll come home for a bit. It might do me some good." After a long winded conversation, Wheatley finally hung up. For the first time in a long time, Wheatley actually enjoyed talking to his mother. "Sometimes, a man just needs to talk to his mother." He whispered as he sat up in bed.

With a big yawn, Wheatley got up. He decided today was going to be different. No more lying around feeling sorry for himself. After Wheatley finished his routine, He decided nothing will keep him from visiting Caroline today and getting his head straight. He didn't care what anyone said. Wheatley had a future he needed to think about, and whether it was with Aperture or anywhere else (or with _anyone_ else), he had to take life by the horns and get out of his funk before he sank too low.

"Today is my day!" he shouted as he stood up from his chair. "In fact, I might even let Harvey fix me up with that office girl he's always going on about or even ask the front desk girl to dinner! Pam wouldn't want me to be miserable forever. She'd want me to move on and get on with my life! I'll live for both of us!"

With a skip in his step and new found confidence, Wheatley got ready for work. He looked over on the counter and smiled. He picked up the picture of him and Pam and smiled. "I'll live for both of us, love. I won't let your memory go to waste." Wheatley sat the picture down softly, not facing it down like he usually did. "I can't wait for today. I…I feel so alive…and I don't know why."

Laughing heartily, Wheatley gathered up his things and made his way to the door. He decided to wear blue today. He had spent the last few months wearing black, but today he decided to wear blue. People often told Wheatley that he looked good in blue. He needed a happier outlook and today he was going to march right into Caroline's office and have a nice long sit down with her. Of all the people he believed needed to hear that he felt better, she was the first on his list. Who would have thought the prospect of a trip home could have made one person feel so much better?

As he reached for the door, something in the back of his head told him to take a good look around. This apartment represented everything he worked so hard for. He didn't want to disappoint the memory of the girl he worked so hard for. Everything was as it should be. "Today is the first day of a newer, happier, and better dressed Wheatley Pendleton!" he shouted excitedly as he left his apartment.

He waved happily to the neighbors as they went about their routines and made his way to his car. Everything was going to be okay, and Wheatley started to believe it after so long of thinking the world might end if he even stepped off the sidewalk. Things were going to go his way from now on. He could feel it in his bones.

The office seemed more somber than usual. Wheatley hadn't seen this many depressed faces since Mr. Johnson died. Something didn't seem right, but he decided to deal with it right after he finished his talk with Caroline. He knew if he dallied, he would forget. Wheatley put his work bag on his desk and marched out of the offices, toward the Executive hallway. As he started strolling down, he felt something grab his shirt. Looking over, Wheatley saw the Front Desk Girl staring at him.

"Where are you going?" she demanded.

"I'm going to have a talk with Miss Caroline." Wheatley answered simply, pointing down the hallway.

"Miss Caroline…" the Front Desk Girl looked like she was about to cry. "…Miss Caroline isn't seeing anyone today…or again for a long, long, time. Go back to your desk."

Wheatley had never known the Front Desk Girl to get defensive. Something wasn't right. "Look, it won't take long; I just need to see her real quick so I can get some vacation time approved. If you can just let me by so I can see her, I'll get this over with as fast and painless as possible!"

The Front Desk Girl just stared at him. She shook her head and went back her to desk. "Miss Caroline isn't in her office. Just go back to your desk." The Front Desk Girl snapped as she pretended to file papers away.

Something was definitely off. Wheatley decided he didn't want to start his new lease on life this way. This was supposed to be a whole new Wheatley Pendleton. He cleared his throat and straightened himself out. "Alright, fair enough, I will leave the subject alone. But before I go back to my desk, may I inquire as to where Miss Caroline is at this moment?" Wheatley leaned against the Front Desk Girl's desk raising an eyebrow. She just glared at him and went back to what she was doing. "Alright…then may I ask you something?"

"What is it?" the Girl asked.

"I've decided to try something new. After the whole…girlfriend dying…thing…" Wheatley looked like he needed to hold back his own tears but just cleared his throat. "…what I'm trying to say is…I think I'm ready to get back into the dating thing and I would like it…very, VERY, much, if you let me…umm…take you to dinner? Say, tonight around eight?" Wheatley cracked his cheesiest smile. The Front Desk Girl just stared at him.

Inside his head, Wheatley was shouting _STUPID, STUPID, STUPID _over and over again. He had been out of the dating scene so long, it was hilariously obvious. He might as well have been standing there with his fly down.

The Front Desk Girl sighed softly and picked up a folder. "I don't think we'll see each other much after today, so it might not be a good idea to get too attached." She muttered, walking away. Wheatley didn't like how cryptic people were being lately.

Wheatley just decided to go back to his desk. No one seemed to be making eye contact with him and it was starting to get frustrating. He tried to focus on his work, which was surprisingly light today compared to the mountains of work he had been receiving lately.

He heard the click-clack of the front desk girl's high heels coming his way. He was hoping (thought fruitlessly) that she had reconsidered his offer. Wheatley heard her stop a few times and then start toward him again. She seemed nervous about something. "Mr. Pendleton…" she murmured, tapping him on the shoulder. Wheatley turned around in his chair as she handed him a piece of paper. "I…forgot to give you this memo. You're needed in the labs today…" she then turned sharply and walked away without making eye contact again.

_Harvey must need my assistance again_ he thought as he got up. If Wheatley had been paying attention, he would have seen the Front Desk Girl hold her hand over her mouth, trying not to cry. He also would have seen the Mailroom Clerk keeping people from going through his desk.

The elevator ride was just as unpleasant as it always had been. The elevator was silent, like it was actually giving him an opportunity to think about what was going to happen while he was in the labs and it opened its doors as if it were frustrated that Wheatley had wasted his time in it digging in his ears with his glasses. Wheatley disembarked from the elevator and made his way to Harvey's office. Harvey's office door was wide open, which was odd. _Maybe the scanner is broken _Wheatley thought, poking his head in with a smile. He was surprised to see that his friend wasn't in. If Harvey hadn't called for him, then who did?

Thinking maybe Harvey had stepped out for a moment, Wheatley considered waiting for him. He soon became bored and decided to go look for his friend. Wheatley generally didn't like the labs. Everything was meticulously cleaned and sterilized. The lights were much brighter than the office lights and everything smelled like bleach. There weren't many people or constructs about in the hallways today. Wheatley thought this was a good thing, as he didn't like the feelings the constructs gave him or the looks the scientists gave him. He was actually starting to wonder where everyone was.

Each office seemed empty but the doors leading down to the Enrichment Center testing areas were unlocked. He opened them slowly but noticed the hallways were blank as well. Usually, they'd have scientists going from one observation room to another. "Well, they must not be doing testing today…" he murmured. Wheatley looked up and thought he saw a construct zooming by in another hallway. He followed the management rail, hoping to see the construct, but didn't see anything. He kept walking, thinking he heard voices murmuring. Everyone seemed to be corralled in a big room overlooking a giant chamber.

The sign on the door read "Master Control Room". Wheatley approached cautiously. He could make out a few familiar faces (Harvey, Dr. Rattmann, and Smith) but everyone else just seemed to be random scientists. Harvey looked like he was about to vomit while Dr. Rattmann only shook his head as he left. He was probably the only one to notice Wheatley standing just outside the doorway. Wheatley could hear Dr. Rattmann murmuring something about it being time for his medication and then, as he passed Wheatley, he murmured something that stuck with Wheatley.

"…don't let them take away your humanity…"

Dr. Rattmann didn't even look at Wheatley as he passed by, making Wheatley wonder if he was speaking to him. Wheatley silently stood behind the scientists; none of them seemed to know he was there. "Well, the initial transfer was a success, but not without its problems. Though she was willing, there was resistance. We'll need to keep an eye on that, make sure it doesn't sink into the rest of the program. It could cause problems later on down the line. The transfer, for the most part, was a complete success."

Wheatley looked around and noticed the man speaking was Smith. "Unfortunately, it is with regret that I say that her physical body didn't make it. When transferring into a normal core, it takes less effort on the human's part, physically and mentally, but on an A.I. such as this…well, it took longer and much more out of her than we anticipated. We've only started her up once, and though she seems aware, she doesn't remember who she is. It's like the process automatically erases any and all memories. Her mind, her thoughts, everything are in the magnificent machine you see before you. However…Miss Caroline…"

His eyes widening, Wheatley tried to get a better look around the scientists and down in the massive chamber below. Down in the chamber, two orderlies covered Caroline's body with a white sheet and wheeled the gurney out through an automatic door. _Miss…Caroline?_ Wheatley thought, trying not to panic.

"With regular Personality Constructs, or 'Cores', whichever you prefer, the physical body can be preserved after transfer. In a sense, the body is in a state of 'living death', should we feel the need to use the body for anything else the company needs. Very much alive, but without assistance, it would die. So, we usually put the subjects into cryogenic stasis until they can be used again. Miss Caroline, however, was the one exception. She, sadly, didn't survive the process." Smith's faked sincerity may have fooled everyone else, but it didn't fool Wheatley. He swallowed hard and tried to back out of the room slowly.

"The initial program was made by our very own Wheatley Pendleton…" Smith, with a grin that oozed evil, turned around and pointed to Wheatley, who was now standing in the doorway. Everyone turned around in unison and stared at Wheatley. Harvey looked horrified. "Of course, the program had to be worked on constantly from its raw form to get it to where it is today. Without Pendleton, the constructs you see zooming around wouldn't be possible. We'd still be making messes and we'd have more bodies for the orderlies to clean up. Why, he's the reason the entire GLaDOS project is possible."

Everyone attempted to clap, except Harvey, who looked like he was mouthing _RUN!_ to Wheatley over and over. "…and, being quite the generous 'bloke', as he would say, he's actually volunteered to become a very vital piece of the GLaDOS family and immortalize himself within these walls forever." Smith held his hand out to Wheatley and grinned evilly. "Oh, the sacrifices one makes…in the name of science. Care to say a few words to your adoring fans, Pendleton?"

Everyone stood there, their blank expressions condemning Wheatley for his part in this horrific experiment. "No…" he murmured. "…I won't let you do this!" Wheatley shouted as he ran off.

Smith shook his head and reached for the emergency phone by the computer console. He pressed one button and waited a few seconds. "We have another runner…" he murmured before putting the phone down.

Wheatley ran from the Enrichment Center, toward the labs, and toward Harvey's office. He locked the door behind him and ran to the computer console. He searched for a blank compact disc and once he found one, he popped it in. Feeling they would lock him out of the system, Wheatley typed in Caroline's name and password into the Aperture Science systems. He remembered it from the time Caroline had him work on her personal computer in her office. Once he found what he was looking for, he uploaded all of it onto the disc and deleted it from the systems.

He had proof for the most part. Wheatley thought if anything, he could use it as a bartering tool. Aperture Science could go up in a mushroom cloud for all he cared. He just wanted to leave and never come back.

"Hello?" sang a little voice from under a sheet. Wheatley lifted up the sheet sitting next to Harvey's console and saw a very old model construct staring at him. He didn't see many of the first generation models zooming around, so he assumed this was one of the last ones. "Who are you? What's that in your hand?" It asked softly. Knowing he didn't have time, Wheatley ignored the construct and ran from Harvey's office. "Why are you leaving in such a rush? You're tall, why are you tall?" it kept asking.

When Wheatley tried to get the elevator to come down, he heard something in the hallway. He figured it was a mob of scientists looking for him. He didn't have time to wait for the elevator. Wheatley decided to take a chance and run for it. He hid within another lab that was open and only looked out the window facing the hallway a few times. He didn't see an angry, pitchfork wielding mob.

As soon as he felt the coast was clear, Wheatley made a break for it. He ran down one hallway and had to stop when he heard voices. He glanced around the corner slowly and saw the security team talking with one of the other scientists. He didn't hear much, only a few mutterings about the program not being in the Aperture systems and to find Wheatley at any cost. Wheatley swallowed hard as he heard the stern clumping of the security guard's boots.

"Find him!" he heard a familiar voice shout. "He downloaded the program out of the systems!"

Wheatley didn't think any of the people passing by him as he darted around the labs knew what was happening; otherwise they would have attempted to stop him. "Stop!" he heard the security guards shout. Wheatley kept going, darting around another corner. He stopped to catch his breath, only to look up in horror at the security camera staring down at him. Wherever he went, they would know and they would be waiting for him. He had to figure out what to do now. He slipped into a janitor's closet and kept the door cracked to keep a look out.

"For a guy so scrawny, he can sure run fast on those chicken legs." murmured one security guard, as they passed by. Wheatley would have felt insulted if he wasn't trying to hold back the urge to wet himself. "Do you think he went toward the maintenance areas?"

"I hope not. There aren't any cameras in the maintenance or factory areas. We won't be able to get him." said the security guard's partner. Something dinged inside Wheatley's head. The maintenance areas, of course! It was a long shot, but Wheatley knew if he could slip out through there, he'd lose them. The maintenance areas within the inner workings of the facility were like a rat maze. If he could slip out through there and get out of the facility, he'd be home free.

_Home…_ Wheatley thought tenderly as he watched the guards walk by. Wheatley shook himself out of it. If he didn't hurry, he'd never see his little apartment again, or the stately family home where he spent his childhood in England. The thought of seeing his parents again made him count to three before bursting out of the janitor's closet like a madman and start running. The security guards watched him fumble over a mop and shake a bucket off his foot as he started running.

The Head Security guard stopped his partner from calling in the location. "Tell them it's time to test the new escort bot…" he murmured.

Wheatley ran until he hit the end of the hallway, near another intersection. He could have sworn there was a door here last time he was down this way. "Oh no, now isn't the time to get lost…" he murmured. If he didn't find a way into the inner workings of the facility, he'd have to climb through the air ducts or double back toward the Enrichment Center. That wasn't an option. He tried to gather his thoughts but felt something grab his shirt.

"Please assume the party escort position." announced the wiry looking robot. Wheatley looked on in horror. Wheatley yanked himself free and ran down the right hallway, toward the other departments. He nearly tripped when he felt the bot grab his leg.

"No, leave me alone!" shouted Wheatley, as the escort bot grabbed his leg. "You can't make me! I won't do it!" Wheatley kicked the bot's core and disabled it temporarily. He started running again. He didn't care about exposing Aperture for the monsters they were. He just wanted to go home. Wheatley decided the moment he was home, he was booking an immediate flight back to England. Aperture may have been relentless in their pursuits, but not even they would travel across the world for a wayward employee.

The alarms were going crazy at this point now. Red lights flashing and the security breach alarms sounding off like the fourth of July, Wheatley knocked over anyone who wasn't wise to what he was doing and just kept running.

"Please assume the party escort position." said the broken escort bot.

"Of all the things Aperture could make properly, it WOULD be a capture bot." Wheatley mused as he dashed through another department door. Once he was sure he lost it, he stopped to have a breather. He reached into his lab coat pocket and pulled out the disk. It contained the program that secured him a job but at high cost.

"Miss Caroline…" he sighed, trying to hold back the tears. "I didn't know they were going to do this to you. Please forgive me, wherever you are. I promise I won't let them do this to anyone again." As soon as he heard people shouting, he left the room he was in and started running again. He remembered hearing one of the scientists talking about how the maintenance areas being the only places in the entire facility where the bots couldn't get to. Whether or not this was true he doubted, but it was the only option he had left.

Climbing on some boxes and yanking the cover off, Wheatley started squeezing himself into the duct. People often criticized Wheatley's skinny frame. At the moment, he was glade he had it. The long legs were proving to be a bit of a problem. As Wheatley started climbing into an air duct, he felt something tug on his leg. He felt something pull him out of the air duct. Wheatley practically dug his nails into the sides of the vent and tried his hardest to resist. He finally yanked his leg free and started crawling through the air ducts.

"Please assume the party escort position. Do not resist. Your superiors have granted permission to use force." The emotionless bot sounded off as Wheatley crawled through the ducts. He knew he had to get to the innards of the facility if he even stood a chance of survival.

After crawling through the air ducts for a short while, Wheatley found himself overlooking a maintenance area. After his awkward climb down out of the duct, Wheatley ran into the maintenance area as fast as he could. He didn't know where he was running to, but he had to figure it out fast. He only glanced behind himself momentarily to see the bot appear around the corner. Knowing full well there was no way the bot could have found him that fast; Wheatley assumed they released more than one.

"Why do they want me so badly?" he whispered, as he slinked his body around a corner and onto a catwalk. He then bolted, his large feet making his stealthy escape impossible. The bot focused on Wheatley's body heat and started heading in that direction. It eventually caught up to him, grabbing his shirt. Wheatley yanked himself free and kept running.

Wheatley tried to lose the bot in the factory foreman's office, which was suspiciously empty. He glanced at the map of the facility's innards (mostly unreliable, as the maze like factory and maintenance areas seemed to change daily). He traced his finger along the route he needed to take. Wheatley had almost memorized it when he heard the bot come clunking his way. "Please assume the Party Escort position." Once Wheatley heard that phrase, he bolted out of the office and ran, barely missing the bot's grasp by mere inches.

"NO! LEAVE ME ALONE!" Wheatley shouted as he rounded another corner in the maintenance area. Just a little further and he'd be home free. He knew there was an emergency exit somewhere nearby, but didn't have time to look at the map in the factory foreman's office before the escort bot had caught up with him. It didn't take him long to get lost. At least he knew the bot was lost too, so that bought him some time.

Wheatley decided to take a break for a moment and looked for a place to hide. He didn't know how the escort bot knew where he was, but decided not to give it the satisfaction of catching him here. Wheatley felt the walls nearby and kicked one in. One thing he had to acknowledge was that Aperture was cheap and the wall panels made it easy for people to sneak around when the higher ups were around (or to just generally cause trouble, as he learned in his intern days helping the others play pranks).

He placed the wall panel back in place and held his breath. He heard the clicking of the bot's joints and watched through the small crack in the wall as the escort bot scanned the area. Wheatley held himself as close to the wall as the escort bot's scanner beam scanned the wall Wheatley was hiding in. It literally stopped an inch from Wheatley's shoe and turned its beam off. Wheatley waited until the bot was gone and slid down the wall of his hiding spot.

Exhaling after a long silence, Wheatley reached into his pocket and pulled out the disk. "Miss Caroline…" he muttered softly. "I'm sorry. I'll make this right. I just have to…"

Wheatley was interrupted by the wall coming down and a robotic arm grabbing him by the neck. "Test Subject, Do not resist. Your failure to assume the Party Escort position has been noted and will be reported in any and all upcoming evaluations. Drastic action has been approved by your superiors should you resist the Escort Bot. Do not resist."

Wheatley wrestled with the Escort Bot, finding it both irritating and sad that he was losing a fight it. Obviously exhausted, Wheatley tried his hardest to keep the fight up, but the Escort Bot tightened its grip on Wheatley's neck. Wheatley kicked the escort bot a few times, making it drop him on the ground. Wheatley was starting to feel a weird since of accomplishment when the metal bot coiled its metal fingers into what one would call a fist and proceeded to punch Wheatley in the face, breaking his glasses and knocking him unconscious.

"Thank you for assuming the Party Escort position." The bot announced as it proceeded to drag Wheatley's lifeless body along the catwalk.

_Wheatley! Wake up, silly, you'll be late…_

Wheatley squinted a few times before being greeted by a bright light. "Wake up, you limey, crumpet eating, tea sucker!" hissed a very familiar voice. Wheatley realized his glasses were gone, but he could make out vaguely who was standing around him. He vaguely made out Smith, who was standing over Wheatley like the Grim Reaper. "You gave our bots quite a chase, Pendleton. I bet it must have been invigorating. Too bad it's the last exercise you'll ever get."

Smith, though resembling an angry white blob in a tie due to Wheatley's bad eyesight, seemed oddly delighted with the situation. Wheatley said nothing. He could barely make out some other figures on the other side of what looked like an observation glass. Part of him knew where he was, but the other part was in denial.

"You gave us quite a scare, downloading the entire GLaDOS program and running off with it. It's a good thing we caught you when we did. We need you, Pendleton." Wheatley noticed he wasn't strapped down to anything. He slowly got up and looked around. Smith started typing. "Make yourself comfortable. We'll begin shortly."

"Begin what?" Wheatley murmured.

Smith chuckled and continued to type. "Why, the procedure, of course! Congrats Pendleton, today is a red letter day for you!" Smith took out a portfolio and smiled. "Today you get to become a part of the Aperture Family permanently, because you've been personally selected to become…"

Not looking up from his console, Smith reached over and pulled a white sheet from over a brand new, shiny personality construct. "You get to become the Intelligence Dampening Sphere!" Smith laughed, patting the sphere softly, as if it were a cat. "You've been selected as the perfect candidate. She needs to be slowed down. Her thinking is irrational and she's already tried to kill everyone in here a few times. She's acting more like a spoiled child than a ground-breaking super computer, so…your idiotic ramblings about nothing will be the perfect thing to keep her occupied while we fix the problem."

"How…how long have I been out?" Wheatley murmured, trying not to let Smith know he was getting off the table. He didn't like how oddly friendly Smith was being.

"Oh, that Escort Bot hit clocked you pretty hard. You've been out for a good three days. We would have started the procedure then, but in order for the transfer to properly work, the subject has to be completely aware and conscious during. Sadly, it's a very unpleasant process, but you'll pull through…as the Intelligence Dampening Sphere!"

Smith looked up when he heard the footsteps of someone running. He shook his head with a smile and reached across the table, picking up a hypodermic needle. He slowly started leaving the room when he heard the scuffle outside the lab and started walking slowly toward the hallway. "They always try to escape." He murmured with a tsk. When Smith arrived outside, he found a group of security guards holding Wheatley by the arms as he struggled against them.

"No! Please, don't do this!" Wheatley shouted as he scrambled to regain his footing. "I can't let you do this!" Wheatley reached for the programing disk as the security guards yanked him up. "Let me go! I won't become one of those things! I am a human being, not some test rat!" he shouted as he struggled to get away.

A little ways away, Smith walked up with a group of doctors. He bent down and picked up the disk with a deviant smile. "Be a team player, Pendleton…what are you willing to sacrifice for Aperture?" asked Smith as he handed the disk to a nearby scientist. The scientist smiled and walked away.

Wheatley didn't notice one of the doctors taking out a syringe and a phial of odd glowing green liquid. "Please don't do this! I don't care what you do to me, but don't harm anyone else with this thing! It was a mistake!"

Wheatley felt a sharp pain in his neck and looked at his arms. His veins turned a horrible green color and he started to scream. Wheatley found his vision blurring and tried to keep himself straight but found himself losing his grip on consciousness. "Take him to the detention area. He needs to be prepped for…" was all Wheatley heard one of the scientists say before he finally blacked out.

_This is it, isn't it, Pam?_ Wheatley thought when he finally awoke, covered in only a sheet from the waist down and strapped to a table. _Because of me, science can move forward. It's my fault what's happening. It's my fault Miss Caroline is dead and her conscious is floating around in that…thing. Maybe this won't be so bad…life as a core. I won't have to worry about those bloody glasses getting in the way anymore, for one. Maybe best of all, I won't have to force myself not to miss you so much. _

Wheatley chuckled softly as he felt himself being lifted and another bright light shined hard in his eyes. _I remember once Harvey told me I was lucky to have a woman like you egging me on about silly little things, and I guess he was right. No, I know he was right. _Wheatley couldn't see very well, or else he would have been the scientists hooking him up to the device and hooking the Intelligence Dampening Sphere up to the computer. _You know, the program isn't perfect. I made it that way. Really, anything could happen. It wasn't designed to accommodate the power of the Super A.I. but they'll probably find a way around that. I didn't tell them because I was afraid they'd fire me. In retrospect, that would have been a better option, I guess. Oh, Mum and Dad are going to be so disappointed that I can't make it home for Christmas again...or ever again, for that matter._

Squinting, Wheatley could see someone banging on the window of the Observation room. The device had already started up, so he couldn't hear what the figure was yelling. _Well, this is it, eh, Pam? I'll either be a metal ball for eternity or die a horrifying death at the hands of Smith and Aperture. Either way, I think it might be best. The world doesn't need to know I had a hand in this madness. I think I'll be much happier not knowing I had a hand in it. Promise me one thing, Pam, love: If I do die and we meet on the other side, that you'll be waiting for me with open arms, like you used to.  
><em>

"Is the subject ready?" asked one of the scientists.

"As ready as he'll ever be…" Smith grinned and put his hands in his lab coat pockets.

With the okay signal given, the switch was thrown and the room lit up brighter than the brightest star. Harvey stood on the other side of the observation window, but Wheatley didn't hear him screaming for them to stop and pounding his fists against the glass. Despite the unimaginable pain coursing through him, Wheatley still smiled as his veins lit up and his body went lifeless.

Everything went dark. All he heard was static…

_Vilify…don't even try…_

"Intelligence Dampening Core, can you hear me?" asked someone in a white coat through all the static. The little core blinked softly and looked around. Where was he? What was he? Who was he? The Sphere looked around and blinked a few more times.

The Core's blue optic finally lit up all the way as he glanced around the world. "Welcome to the world, Intelligence Dampening Sphere." shouted one of the people in the white coats. The core just glanced around. He squinted his little metal eye guards to look like he was attempting to smile. Though, for some reason he felt this place was familiar. But whatever it was, it was blocked. He attempted to scroll through his memory banks but nothing came up. "We have to make sure you're happy and ready for your big day coming up! How do you feel?" asked the white coated man again.

Waving his handles around, the Core attempted to hop about. "Oh, 'ello there!" he shouted, happily.

He watched as other white coated people hooked a man's body up to another machine and wheeled him out of the room, some muttering about "Put him in cryo with the others."

"Oh, dear, what happened to that bloke? Did he have a fall? Poor guy. I wouldn't want to be him right now. Of course, having legs would be fun." The core muttered softly as someone picked him up. "Are we going with him? Shouldn't we let him sleep? I don't think he looked comfortable all naked on that table with nothing but a sheet, but to each their own, as they say…I think they say, anyway. Haven't a clue, honestly. I was born literally four minutes ago according to my internal clock."

One of the white coated men handed the Core to a heavyset man with a trimmed beard. His nametag read _**Harvey, Jonathan **_and he had an unsure look on his face. "Here you go. You love him so much, you get to look after him from now on. You're his handler. Keep him out of trouble."

The man then left the core and his handler standing alone in the room. The heavyset man hugged the core tightly and sniffled softly. "Hey, you might have a cold, Mister! You should probably have a doctor look at that! I know I wouldn't want to get sick. Can I get sick, I wonder…?"

"I'll look after you, Wheatley. I promise I won't let them hurt you anymore. I owe you that much." The man muttered through his angry tears. The core, apparently named Wheatley, didn't know what was going on or what he was talking about, but he felt a twinge of happiness go through his systems. He liked it a lot. It made him feel warm and happy.

Wheatley squinted his little metal handles, as if attempting to hug him back.

_It's time to go home, now…_

"You're getting the hang of it, Wheatley!" said Mr. Harvey, from below. Wheatley hadn't been activated for more than a week and he was just now getting the hang of the management rail. Wheatley liked his rail, though he was pretty restricted to just the labs at the moment. His "handler", Mr. Harvey, was a friendly man who had a lot of patience with him. The other technicians, however, did not. So, most of the time, it was just Mr. Harvey and Wheatley, though Wheatley didn't seem to mind.

"Hey, hey Mr. Harvey! Look at this! I can do it all by myself!" Wheatley shouted happily as he zoomed all over the lab. Wheatley stopped for a moment and looked down at Mr. Harvey, who smiled a bittersweet smile. "Hey, why so glum? Today is a happy day, Mr. Harvey!" Wheatley shouted happily. "Look at this! I can spin around, too!" Wheatley rotated happily in his stationary position. "Don't be sad, Mr. Harvey! Look, now we can walk around together, except you'll be doing the walking and I'll be doing the…umm…gliding across on the rail. Maybe one day we can leave the labs together! Doesn't that sound livid?"

Mr. Harvey laughed and folded his arms. "Wheatley, we've been over this, 'livid' doesn't mean good. It means angry." He chuckled softly and reached up to grab Wheatley. Wheatley was told by the technicians to never disengage from the management rail without their assistance or he would die. Wheatley didn't know what death was, but by the horrified looks on their faces, he didn't want to find out. So, most of Wheatley's time was spent zooming around on the management rail or with his "handler", Mr. Harvey.

"But one of the engineers keeps saying that I make him livid! It must mean happy or good, because you told me yourself I make you happy." Wheatley's prattling always did put a smile on Mr. Harvey's face, though at the moment it seemed Mr. Harvey was fighting back the urge to cry. "Mr. Harvey, why are you sad? You have no reason to be sad! Today is a happy day! You taught me how to use the rail by myself! You should be happy!"

Mr. Harvey sighed softly, placing Wheatley on the table. "Oh, you just…" Mr. Harvey looked like he wanted to say something, but fought back the words he wanted to say. Mr. Harvey often chose his words carefully. Too much of the truth would overload Wheatley. Literally. Of course, just about anything could overload little Wheatley. "I recently lost my best friend and I'm a bit sad…"

Mr. Harvey took out a few tools and took the back panel off Wheatley. He connected a few cords to Wheatley's innards and sat at a computer console. Mr. Harvey sighed heavily as he started typing. "…but let's not worry about that, huh? You have a big day coming up soon and the company wants you to be good and ready." Mr. Harvey forced a cheery tone as he typed.

"Hey, Mr. Harvey?" Wheatley's optic glanced at Mr. Harvey. Wheatley's handles widened and made it look like he was smiling. "I don't think I've ever had a best friend. But if I did, I'd want him to be like you. You're so much nicer than the other people that come in and work on me. Hey, I got a livid idea!"

"You're still using that word wrong, but what idea do you have?" asked Mr. Harvey.

"How about I be your new best friend? I mean, that other bloke must have been mad to leave you without a best friend. You're so nice and you're a snappy dresser to boot! If I had a body, I'd want a fancy white coat like yours. So, how's about it, Best Friend?" asked Wheatley, who looked like he was attempting to smile.

Mr. Harvey stopped typing for a moment and looked at Wheatley with a big smile. "I'd like that, Wheatley…" said Mr. Harvey, fighting back tears. He placed his hand softly on top of Wheatley, as if he was putting his hand on the shoulder of a friend and slowly rubbed the Construct. "I'd like that more than you know…"

"Enough to make you livid?" asked Wheatley narrowing his optic as if to wink.

Mr. Harvey chuckled softly and continued his work. "Sure, Wheatley…"

* * *

><p>Wheatley stood there, staring at his hands as the cores surrounded him, tingling their little song. He looked down and watched from where he was standing at Dr. Rattmann beginning the procedure on P-Body. She looked as lifeless as ever and seeing P-Body without her smile or her eyes lit up made Wheatley sad.<p>

Dr. Rattmann worked tirelessly, reconnected cords and refastening nuts and bolts. ATLAS held P-Body's lifeless hand as Dr. Rattmann continued. Working as his assistant, Angie ran to and fro fetching items for Dr. Rattmann upon each request. Lil stood off to the side, her hands cusped over her heart, almost praying. The cores lit up the garden and kept Dr. Rattmann focused. He wiped the sweat from his brow as he reconnected P-Body's arm and though he had trouble at first, Dr. Rattmann was able to repair the hole in her stomach and fashion new casing for it out of old plastic computer casings.

Dr. Rattmann yanked out one of P-Body's eyes, causing ATLAS to shout at him. Dr. Rattmann quelled ATLAS's rage by stating he needed to make sure everything was still connected. Once making sure her eyes still worked and everything was connected again, Dr. Rattmann told everyone to stand back.

Angie ran to Lil and hugged her leg tightly. Dr. Rattmann made his way to his computer console and threw the switch. P-Body lit up beautifully as the room sparked and the cores flickered softly. Wheatley felt his heart jump a bit and then smiled as P-Body's fingers twitched. ATLAS shouted happily as P-Body's eyes lit up again. Bright yellow-orange, like her hair.

P-Body sat up and looked around. She rubbed her head and smiled as ATLAS ran to her, hugging her tightly. She hugged him back and smiled softly. Angie ran up to P-Body and hugged her too. Lil didn't go to P-Body; she walked up to Wheatley and laid her head on his chest, snuggling softly in his arms.

Lil didn't know what Wheatley was thinking about. She could sense he was in pain, but that the worst was over. All she could do at the moment was be there for him when he needed her. Wheatley took Lil's hand and held it tightly. "I don't know what you're going through, Wheaters, but just know that you have people who love you. You don't have to go through it alone." She murmured, as Wheatley kissed the top of her head. Wheatley looked up at the singing cores and smiled softly. He knew what had to be done, but he decided to stand there with Lil a bit longer. Wheatley smiled at the celebration going on nearby.

A little later, with Lil resting in his arms and Angie leaning against him, Wheatley sat and watched the cores go by above him. Angie pointed to two figures in the distance, ATLAS and P-Body, as they walked hand in hand around the core garden. Lil chuckled softly and Wheatley only smiled. "Literally made for each other…how about that…" he muttered as Lil cuddled closer.

Wheatley smiled softly and closed his eyes as the cores above passed by happily. He felt his heart twinge just a little more as one in particular flew by, not even acknowledging the resting humans below. Something about it felt familiar, but Wheatley put it in the back of his head. He smiled, with a lone tear going down his cheeks. Wheatley blinked softly and smiled again. He brought Lil and Angie closer to him and watched the cores zoom around in the darkness of the garden. He knew the moment he got up, Dr. Rattmann would tell him it's time to get things underway.

So, Wheatley decided to just sit there with the girls for a little while longer. He didn't want anything to upset how perfect this moment was.

_Miles Above, Within the Abandoned Offices_

Far above, within the broken remains of a desk, a barely opened envelope sat lonesome among the memories of glory days long passed. Obvious signs of age dotted the now yellow envelope and some of the writing had long since faded from its top side. The last of the lightly licked adhesive finally giving way, the little letter within unfolded and left its home. Upon the stationary, among the faded Aperture Science logo and borders, sat a loving writ of encouragement hidden within the urgings of a warning that came too late. The faded passage never read, but worded lovingly, to someone who needed to hear it the most.

_Dearest Mr. Pendleton,_

_If you are reading this, than it is too late for me, but they didn't come for you yet and there is still time. _

_I don't have much longer before they put me into…that thing, as per Mr. Johnson's orders. It was not my decision, but it is my duty to the people of this company, to science…and to Cave…_

_Before they take me, I want you to know that I did NOT approve what is going to happen to you if you stay here. Remember that, at least. _

_But more importantly, remember that you are a wonderful man with a bright future ahead of you. You are not to blame for what is about to happen to me. I want you to know that first and foremost. You had no idea what they were doing with your program and you shouldn't blame yourself. My "death" is not your fault and neither was Pam's. I know for a fact that she loved you more than anything. She told me each time she had to come here for whatever reason that she couldn't imagine herself with anyone but you. _

_You're a lucky man, Mr. Pendleton. I know you blame yourself for her death, and you will probably blame yourself for mine, but it isn't your fault. None of this was your fault. Always remember that._

_Now, as I write this final good-bye, I hope that you leave this place and never come back. You don't deserve what would have happened to you, no matter what Mr. Smith or anyone else tells you. You are smarter than you give yourself credit for and there are many companies out there who would be honored to have you among them. _

_Remember that "Quick Fix" program I had you working on not too long ago? I need you to mail it to Dr. Douglas Rattmann's office. He'll know what to do when and if the time comes. I hope it never does. If I am correct, what is about to happen to me won't end well._

_Don't worry about anything anymore, Mr. Pendleton. Everything will be fine. I hope you leave and never come back to this awful place. I spent my life here in the name of science and though I am fulfilling my dream, it comes at a horrible cost._

_Take care of yourself, Wheatley Pendleton. And know that you are loved no matter where you go._

_With Love,_

_~Caroline_

* * *

><p><strong>N'cha, everyone! I'm not dead! Haha!<strong>

**But, I guess I do have some explaining to so for the lateness. Well, recently, my boyfriend of almost a year broke up with me pretty unceremoniously and I've been dealing with that. It literally came out of nowhere and knocked me off my feet. I couldn't really do anything for a while except cry and think unhappy thoughts. I found myself staring at the chapter in progress and though my fingers were on the keys, nothing came out of it. I would just stare at my screen, trying my hardest to work and not cry.**

**I cried more than I typed, sadly.**

**But a friend of mine told me to take that sadness and make it work in the story. So, I did. All in all, I believe I'm happy with the outcome. Still sad about my boyfriend dumping me, though. Reading past reviews of my story really got me through a lot of the tough times and it definitely helped me this time. So, I'm dedicating this chapter to all the people who reviewed and faved this story. You guys are wonderful and I don't think I would have gotten through this tough time without rereading all the wonderful words.**

**Thank you, all. I appreciate all your reviews and favs. Please, accept my fullest apologies for this taking so long. *bows* I don't think I could have gotten through without you guys.**

**So, only a few chapters left, am I right? Well, this was a pretty long chapter, so I don't think I'll be uploading it to dA for quite a while. What with the STASH writing thingy only being able to hold so much and I really don't want to edit it down. So, it might be a good little while before I post it to deviantArt. When? I have no clue. It'll happen when it happens.**

**In the meantime, I'll probably be working on a few side projects in between this and the next chapter. The next chapter…well, forgive my language, but as my friends would say; "Shit's about to get real!"**

**As always, your reviews are greatly appreciated so don't be shy about telling me how I'm doing. So, review and be merry, my lovelies!**

**GLaDOS, Wheatley, ATLAS, P-Body, and Dr. Rattmann belong to Valve.**


	27. Now or Never

_Reconstructing Humanity_

Now or Never

Apparently, everything was in place.

Apparently, everything was set up and ready.

But all that was missing was two crucial pieces of the puzzle. Where would one get such things? The lights shining above offered no answer and figuring it out for oneself was out of the question, what with things literally falling apart around. Everything was ready, but why were there two pieces still missing?

GLaDOS's systems were taking a turn for the worse and she was feeling it. She didn't have much time now before the problem spread to the point of no return, where not even a transfer would fix it. At least in a new body, she could focus on fixing the problem from an outward point of view.

But what if she ended up liking it in her new human skin? Well, that'd be just as nice. She started to believe it'd be nice to walk around her chamber instead of just coiling around watching monitors. Though she'd still be restricted to the Central A.I. Chamber for a while, but she decided to work on that as she went along.

Her "Granddaughters" were somewhere within the facility, plotting against her. She couldn't believe her own "grandchildren" would do such a thing. GLaDOS couldn't stand the thought of them corrupting the little one with such bad things about her. Both of them, even the older, slightly chubbier one, were the spitting image of _HER-WHO-SHALL-NOT-BE-NAMED_, and though the thought sickened her that two almost perfect little humans could actually come from that silent psycho, she came to accept it. Humans reproduce and sometimes they get it right.

GLaDOS reached a metal claw into a small box of Angie's acquired things from her time in the Central A.I. Chamber and picked out a drawing. It was of her and Angie (from a child's prospective, anyway). In the picture, GLaDOS hung overhead while Angie's rendition of herself smiled a cheesy smile below. If GLaDOS could smile, she would. Well, if things went according to plan, she'd be able to soon.

Reaching in again, GLaDOS pulled out another picture. This time, it was of Angie, her sister, and the idiot. Oh, how she was starting to loathe that moron. "The first thing I'm going to do is get rid of the competition." She muttered, making another metal hook come down. "He squandered the gift I gave him and now he's plotting against me with my own Androids and my 'Grandchildren'!" The two metal hooks ripped the drawing in half and she watched the pieces float down the incinerator chute.

"I won't forgive you for this. You will pay for this, you moron!" GLaDOS shouted into the darkness of the Central A.I. Chamber. "Once I get rid of him, I'll continue the transfer and fix those two traitorous Androids up. Then, after I throw that rat and that moron into the incinerator and burn the garden, the little human and I will stay here…and continue testing."

If the opera music she had playing over every P.A. system in the facility wasn't enough, she had put everything else on hold until the transfer could be completed. It was very obvious by now that something bad was happening within her systems and losing Lil and Angie didn't help.

"They have to come up sometime…" GLaDOS focused a recently fixed camera on a hole in one of the lower floor walls. She had found her rat and like a hungry cat, she waited for it to emerge.

_Deep Within the Garden_

Angie stayed close to the Androids, though she would rather stay close to Lil. She didn't want to lose her again. The entire garden was getting ready, and she felt she needed to do her part as well. Though there wasn't much a six-year-old could do to help, her best bet would be staying out of the way, which she did. With some loose cloth and a little basic engineering (and some help from P-Body), Angie spent her time fashioning a harness to carry her newest beloved toy "Mr. Metal Ball", the former Intelligence Dampening Core which her beloved "Grandma" made into a music box just for her.

Slipping the harness on like a back pack, "Mr. Metal Ball" faced outward, as if Angie wanted him to see everything. Angie was a little dismayed that she was still wearing the same clothes she had come in with a few days earlier. Though her shoes had changed (Lil didn't seem to mind, her retort being shoes were shoes and they had bigger things to worry about), she was still wearing the little red dress with the red and orange striped sleeves with matching stockings. Angie felt if she was worried about this, she wouldn't have to worry about what was really going on.

They thought they were out of Angie's hearing range when they talked about the plan. She had been left with ATLAS and P-Body on the other side of the garden so the adults could talk. P-Body was still recovering and though she seemed to be doing fine, everyone still worried for her. The repair job was pretty basic, but she was functioning and that was all that mattered. P-Body spent the last hour or so fixing up some loose ends that Dr. Rattmann couldn't get to. ATLAS remained by her side, keeping watch.

"They want to hurt Grandma, don't they?" Angie asked as P-Body put her little tool kit away.

P-Body shook her head and chirped something in a reassuring tone. P-Body wished Angie could understand her, so she could explain that they were trying to keep "Grandma" from sucking out Lil's consciousness and replacing it with her own. Though, P-Body wasn't sure how Angie would take that, even if she could understand her.

Under their feet, they felt a soft rumble. Every so often, the group would feel soft rumbles. Dr. Rattmann looked more panicked than usual and the cores seemed to be hiding, except for the Gardening Core, though she was visibly scared. ATLAS's sensors were telling him something bad was on the way and they needed to get moving.

P-Body took Angie's little hand and led her toward the rest of the group. "Grandpa, why is the floor shaking?" Angie asked as they neared the group. Lil still wasn't sure if she was comfortable with Angie calling Dr. Rattmann "Grandpa" but decided to let it go for now. "Is Grandma mad?" she asked again. Lil was very uncomfortable with Angie calling GLaDOS "Grandma" and wasn't afraid to show it.

"She's…very mad." Dr. Rattmann sighed as he got himself ready. "She didn't like being separated from you or your sister, Little One. But it had to be done. She's probably tearing this place apart looking for us. But she's very sick and if we're ever going to leave, we have to make her well again."

Dr. Rattmann didn't look at Angie as he prepared a harness for his Companion Cube. Despite its size, the cube was surprisingly light, as if it were hollow on the inside. Angie looked at the cube inquisitively and turned her head softly. She could vaguely remember the one her mother used to keep in the living room that over the years became more of a coffee table than a friend. But Angie was very young when their parents died, and her memories of her parents were shaky at best.

Lil, on the other hand, looked at the cube with a familiar uncertainty. A childhood of watching her mother and father fight over such a useless item and why it shouldn't be in their apartment seemed to flash before her eyes. Lil shook herself out of it and walked over to Wheatley, who looked like he was still reeling in from his realization. Lil put her hand on his shoulder and only smiled. Without looking at her, Wheatley placed his hand on hers and returned the smile.

"We don't have much time to do this. We have to get up there, distract her long enough to install the Quick-Fix, and then reset all the facility's safeguards. Her program is slowly destroying itself, so if you thought she wasn't in her right mind before; you're in for quite a treat." Dr. Rattmann coughed. He ushered the others ahead of him as he looked back at the cores, all of which seemed to appear instantaneously from their hiding places.

The Cores had become his family. He was thankful to them for taking him and his cube in after he had awakened in a moss and ivy covered relaxation bed almost over one hundred years in future. The Cores helped him keep tabs on the facility and were the first to notify him when things started going downhill. He owed his life to the cores, but he wasn't sure he was coming back to them. Wheatley's invitation and Lil's assurance that the offer was open from both of them made Dr. Rattmann consider life above ground again. He'd be lying if he told anyone he didn't miss the sunshine hitting his face or the feel of grass underneath his feet. He'd also be lying if he told anyone his mild schizophrenia wasn't starting to take its toll on his mind again. Meditation could only help so much. He knew he'd need his medication, though he ran out of it many, many, many years ago.

Dr. Rattmann sighed and watched as the cores surrounded him. "I don't know if I'm coming back or not…" he started with a soft cough. "…but I just want you all to know that in the time I've been here, whether it be one hundred years in a stasis bed or almost thirty years living inside the walls, I am forever thankful to you and this little society you've made for yourselves. I never would have imagined in all my years that you all were capable of such thinking. Banding together and making life work again inside these dead hallways. If I don't come back, I want you all to know that you'll be forever in my heart and I hope you'll never forget me. I hope that, if we do see each other again, either after this little excursion or sometime in the future, you will remember me and look upon me not as a leader, but as a friend."

The Cores surrounded Dr. Rattmann and cooed to him softly, as if joining him in one final big group hug. "If I don't come back, take care of yourselves and keep an eye on _HER_ for me." With that, Dr. Rattmann left the garden to the tune of the Cores singing a mournful tune. Led by his walking stick, Dr. Rattmann made his way back to the group standing at the entrance to the garden. Angie smiled and waved to the cores as Dr. Rattmann ushered her along.

Dr. Rattmann led the way, his cube tied loyally to his back. Lil decided to keep Angie close, as she believed she saw Dr. Rattmann talking to himself.

_Where are we going?_ The cube asked. Only Dr. Rattmann could hear the cube. It rarely spoke nowadays, but when it did, it usually had something interesting to say.

"To do something we should have done almost a hundred and thirty years ago." Dr. Rattmann muttered softly, trying not to scare the group. "We've spent too long in that garden and now it's time to take action." Dr. Rattmann coughed softly and covered his mouth.

_You're not well. You should let them do this so you can rest. Meditation can only do so much._ The Cube, often the voice of reason in Dr. Rattmann's already mixed up mind, didn't seem as excited by this plan as he did. Maybe the thought of redemption was the real reason Dr. Rattmann was leading the group. He had thought about it but then felt a tiny tug on his hand. He looked down and saw Angie's big smile. _She's not really your grandchild, you know. Neither of them are biologically related to you in anyway._

Dr. Rattmann shook his head. "I know that. But they are her children and we helped her. Why shouldn't we help her children? And you heard the little one; I looked over her mother like a father, which in a way does make me her father which in turn makes me their grandfather. Biology be damned."

Angie held onto the straps of her own harness and giggled. "Grandpa talks to his cube like I talk to you, Mr. Metal Ball!" Angie then happily marched behind Dr. Rattmann, the construct on her back happily bouncing along with her steps. Lil shook her head and rolled her eyes as Wheatley chuckled.

The climb back into the facility proper was a long one. Dr. Rattmann guessed that GLaDOS would be waiting for them, so he convinced them to take a longer route. Like an expedition, the small group marched along the barely lit back ways of the facility, their shadows marching along the walls with them. The walk was extensive and ATLAS found himself carrying little Angie on his back when she got too tired. P-Body, having perfected the art of doing something while walking long ago, passed the time by stitching her dress back together. The attack left a big hole in it and she had found a piece of cloth that almost matched her dress to patch it up. She reasoned unless in proper lighting, no one would notice.

ATLAS, despite being burdened with carrying Angie, kept a very close eye on P-Body. He didn't tell her how grateful he was for her blocking Robo-Wheatley's attack, but he let her know after Dr. Rattmann was done that he was also happy as long as he had her. P-Body knew he was grateful, even if he didn't show it.

Wheatley had been keeping a close eye on Lil as well. She seemed to be getting tired faster than she normally did and whenever asked about it, she would either ignore the statement or chalk it up to the gravity of the situation itself. Wheatley, still somewhat rusty of human biology, felt deep down it was something else. Wheatley had asked Dr. Rattmann about it, but he only chuckled, stating it wasn't his place to say. Wheatley hated how cryptic everyone was being. He didn't like being out of the loop.

Dr. Rattmann stopped the group and turned around. "Alright, now this isn't like the other route that leads to the maintenance areas. This passage leads directly into the facility itself. We're on her turf now, so we need to be extra careful. Remember, her programing is deteriorating so things may not be as they seem…more so than usual, anyway. Stay close and whatever you do, keep a look out for anything with potential to kill us."

Dr. Rattmann stepped aside and let ATLAS (after setting Angie down) and P-Body go first. A big chunk of wall separated the group from the facility and once Dr. Rattmann gave them the okay sign, the Androids moved the big piece of heavy wall and made sure the coast was clear. P-Body reached into her back pack and took out the portal device. She chirped mechanically and handed it to Lil, who tried to refuse it but took it anyway. The Androids stood back and smiled, nodding that she looked like her mother. Lil, though she didn't understand the two, knew what they were saying because everyone was thinking it, even she. She sighed, accepted destiny, and turned the device on as the group continued.

So far, the facility was quiet enough; nothing but the sounds of things being made, which made Dr. Rattmann extra suspicious of their surroundings. If her program was indeed deteriorating, everything should have been falling apart, but it seemed like things were in working order. While he knew the fact that she might have fixed herself wasn't out of the realm of possibility, at this point he knew it'd be next to impossible. Something wasn't right and he was fighting the urge to tell the group to go back toward the garden.

_Something's not right_ said the Cube on Dr. Rattmann's back. _The entire place should be falling apart but it looks like it's been recently cleaned up. Do you think she fixed it herself?_

"Not out of the realm of impossibility, but at the point she'd gotten to, it'd be very difficult and it'd take too much time. The reactors would have gone off long before she could even get to the root of it. No, I think she knows we're here and she's messing with us." Dr. Rattmann looked around frantically. Things were running like clockwork, as if nothing was wrong at all.

Lil stopped for a moment and looked around. They were below the test chamber assembly and seeing the test chambers being made gave her a horrible feeling. "Oh, I hate those things." She said, pointing up. "Not as much as I hate the turrets, though."

Wheatley could sense it. Something was very off. They'd spent the last few days (by his estimate anyway) running around a crumbling facility and now everything was like new. GLaDOS was preparing for them, he knew it. In his mind, this would be a final showdown. He'd been quiet during the entire duration of their journey back into the facility. His opinion of the situation, he believed, would be better kept to himself. Lil would look up at him every so often and wonder what he was thinking.

Angie, for her part, seemed excited. After ATLAS put her back on his back, Angie couldn't keep the big smile off her face. "We're going to go fix Grandma!" she whispered excitedly to her construct toy. Lil grimaced whenever Angie called GLaDOS "Grandma". Wheatley just chuckled and tried to calm her down.

The group eventually made their way toward a hallway in the old labs. "I didn't realize you meant _this_ close." Wheatley murmured, trying to fight back old memories. Everything around him brought back horrible memories that made his head hurt badly. Lil comforted him as best she could.

"You knew we'd have to get close eventually. We're literally under the belly of the beast." Dr. Rattmann reached into his pocket and pulled down the disk. "We're still a few floors under her chamber, but we're close. Be wary, I'm sure she has this place set up like a mousetrap. Since the elevator has been out of service for going on a hundred and thirty years, I guess we'll be taking the stairs. If you don't mind, I'd like to take a small detour along the scenic route…"

Wheatley and Lil shrugged at each other and followed Dr. Rattmann. Each hallway made Wheatley's head hurt a little more as he fought back the phantoms of another time. He couldn't think about his past now. He had to think about his future with Lil and Angie. Wheatley wanted nothing more than to be done with this entire mess and go home.

_Home…_

Such a strange word, that to Wheatley meant so many things. First, home was riding along happily on the management rails doing his job. Then, home was anywhere but space. Next thing he knew, home was in the apartment above Lil's bookstore where he and Angie could watch that amusing show about the cute little monsters in the spheres and eat some of the sugary cereal that Lil let them have after begging her for it. Now, home was sitting on the couch with an arm around Lil while Angie played her video game system on the floor with the Androids.

Home was where Wheatley wanted to be and home was where he was determined to be. He wondered if Lil could read his thoughts.

_You know it's his destiny to do this, right?_ The Cube asked Dr. Rattmann as they looked around the old labs. _You can't interfere. The Oracle Turret is never wrong. All you can do is help. He has to do this on his own. Prove that he is more than what they designed and programed him for._

Dr. Rattmann said nothing as they entered another hallway. "We should be near some stairs that will take us directly to the Master Control Room. Stay alert." He said after a long silence. Dr. Rattmann kept his cube close, letting the others go first, deeper into the labs. He knew she was watching, but he didn't know if there was anything she could do about it. Wheatley found himself leading the group when Dr. Rattmann stopped to peer into an office along the hallway. Lil stopped and looked behind, making sure he was alright.

It seemed like a bad dream, but Dr. Rattmann remembered the day he ran very well. Did he regret running when everyone else died a horrible death in their attempts to escape the very monster they struggled to bring to life? He shook the thought from his mind and continued behind the group. "Come on, Grandpa! We have to make Grandma better!" shouted Angie, from her place on ATLAS's back.

With the core bouncing on her back, Angie urged ATLAS ahead. Dr. Rattmann smiled and took lead again, walking next to Wheatley, though he was more slow-paced with his walking stick. Under their feet, a soft rumble shook the ground and gave everyone a bad feeling. "What was that?" whispered Lil, clenching the portal device tightly. The rumble occurred every few minutes, as if it was meant to scare them. Dr. Rattmann felt his head spin as the floor rumbled each time.

"Which way?" he whispered to his cube.

_Keep going straight. If I remember correctly, it should be up ahead. It's disguised as an emergency exit, remember?_ The Cube said, half-heartedly. Dr. Rattmann assumed his cube was running low on patience itself, as Dr. Rattmann felt his dwindling as well. Why Aperture disguised one of the stair cases leading to GLaDOS as an emergency exit, he couldn't fathom. Maybe the company had an extra emergency exit door made up and nowhere to put it. Dr. Rattmann could have honestly cared less. He pictured in his mixed up head all the poor souls running to that exit only to meet an even worse fate.

"Up ahead…" Dr. Rattmann whispered to the group, pointing to a door at the very end of the hallway. Lil could sense in her heart that they were walking right into a death trap, but she could do little else about it. She just wanted this to end. She wanted so much to go home. Every time she thought too hard about it, she'd get queasy. They reached the door after what seemed like an eternity. He stopped the group before anyone could open the door. "We are entering an area of the inner facility that she has control over. She'll know we're here, but hopefully she won't know why. We need to hurry to the Master Control Room and release the Quick-fix into her systems. After that, we reset the safeguards while she's lulled and then we get the hell out of here."

The group nodded. P-Body chattered to ATLAS to keep Angie on him at all times. He nodded and made sure Angie (and to a lesser extent, her core) were on his back comfortably. "Get ready to run…" Dr. Rattmann murmured as he opened the door hastily.

The group made a mad dash up the stairway, which led to the inner facility. Just looking up, the group could see GLaDOS's chamber. As intimidating as it was, they had to stay focused. Before taking one step, they heard the alerts. "Run!" shouted Wheatley, taking Lil's free hand and pointing toward the cat walk. As they ran, the wall panels came off, revealing the endless pneumatic tubes and whatever they were transporting. Some of the panels came back, housing turrets that didn't fire.

Wheatley thought this was odd, but then he remembered that GLaDOS wanted Lil undamaged and decided to use this to his advantage. He kept Lil in the middle of the group as they ran along the cat walks and up each flight of stairs. He didn't anticipate, however, GLaDOS having control over the panels under the stairways. "Mr. Wheatley! Lil! Grandpa!" Angie shouted as the set of stairs she was on with the Androids separated from the rest of the group. Lil shouted for her sister, reaching her hand up in the air.

Before he could say anything, Wheatley found himself and Lil being separated from Dr. Rattmann. Dr. Rattmann tossed the disc down to Wheatley. "Get to the Master Control Suite! I'll worry about the child and the Androids! Hurry!" Wheatley held Lil tightly as their piece of stairway swung wildly. Lil looked around and then at her portal gun. She smiled wickedly and shot an orange portal onto a higher level and a blue one on a panel moving past them. She urged Wheatley to look and he nodded, grasping her tightly.

"Hang on!" he shouted, holding on to Lil tightly. He timed himself and jumped through the portal on the panel as his piece of stairway crashed into a wall. He held onto Lil as they fell onto a catwalk above. Lil looked around and pointed up. "That must be it! Hurry!" Wheatley shouted as he and Lil got ready to run up the multiple flights of stairs.

For her part, Angie wasn't crying. She had gotten off ATLAS's back and was now being held by P-Body. ATLAS grabbed P-Body and Angie and leaped with them onto another stairway as theirs collided with some panels. He looked over to another catwalk at Dr. Rattmann running as best he could with a walking stick and cube on his back. "Grandpa, what's happening?" Angie shouted, as Dr. Rattmann jumped over a panel aimed at his legs. P-Body ducked as a panel flew past them.

"She knows we're here and she's not happy! Just stay calm! I'm coming for you!" Dr. Rattmann felt his stairway separate again. He timed himself and jumped onto a passing panel that was going toward Angie's spot. Like it knew what he had planned, the panel started to rotate, but Dr. Rattmann hopped off just before it could rotate all the way. He landed in front of the Androids. "Come on, this way!" Dr. Rattmann led them upward, trying to stay ahead of the disconnecting stairs.

Lil tossed another portal on a wall above and jumped with Wheatley into another blue portal. "That's still weird." She murmured as Wheatley took her hand. Before they knew it, panels started flying at them. Lil wondered how long they could outrun the facility before it finally gave way around them.

Wheatley looked to the left and saw Dr. Rattmann and the Androids running parallel to them. "Don't worry about us! Hurry!" shouted Dr. Rattmann as the stair way separated again, taking him and the Androids off. Lil shouted for her sister, but tried to keep up her pace. Wheatley felt the stair case starting to move again, so he held onto Lil tightly as he made a leap of faith to another catwalk. This catwalk wasn't connected to the panels, hanging by support ropes from the ceiling. Knowing they were semi-safe, He urged Lil on as panels flew around them.

Dr. Rattmann directed the Androids to a stair way connected to a faraway wall. He instructed them to jump when he counted to three. "One…" the catwalk was getting dangerously close to an adjacent wall. "Two…" P-Body held onto Angie tightly as ATLAS gripped her waist. "Three!" the group took their own leap of faith and barely made it onto another catwalk as theirs slammed into a wall of panels. The Androids started following Dr. Rattmann, but he stopped them. "Take the child and meet up with the others. I have something I need to do." ATLAS nodded and had P-Body follow him.

Dr. Rattmann ran up the steps in the opposite direction until he found a panel going the way he needed. He timed himself and jumped on it. He could feel his old turret injury acting up. "I'm too old for this." He murmured as the panel changed directions and took him up. It's as if it knew what he wanted and followed his command. He knew where he was going and he smiled a wicked smile as he passed by a camera slowly. "It's been too long, my dear." He chuckled as the panel took him to another catwalk. "We have some catching up to do."

"_With everything I have planned for you and those humans, we won't have time to catch up."_ GLaDOS stated calmly over the P.A. system. _"What did you do with the child? Bring her back to me…"_

It wasn't long before the catwalk led Dr. Rattmann to a doorway and to the lobby of GLaDOS's chamber. One of the only times he wished he'd fixed himself up for a lady. "That's no way to talk to an old friend, now is it? I believe we have a lot to discuss, seeing as we have grandchildren together. I think we owe it to them be a little civil, don't you think? I just need you to stay still for a bit. I won't try anything, I promise." Dr. Rattmann murmured, as he allowed himself to be ushered into GLaDOS's chamber. He smiled a crinkled smile as GLaDOS greeted him, hanging from her spot on the ceiling.

"_They are on a foolish journey. I don't think they know I can keep moving my chamber and the Master Control Room whenever and wherever I please, seeing as they are connected to each other. But you knew that, didn't you? You really wanted to be alone with me. How sweet. Too bad I'm about to rip your limbs out and throw them one by one down the incinerator chute. But I'll indulge them. I'll let them get there. It won't matter either way. Everything is actually going according to plan. All thanks to you and that idiot."_ GLaDOS loomed overhead, Dr. Rattmann just stood there, clenching his fists.

Eventually meeting back with the Androids and Angie, Wheatley led the way to the Master Control Suite. "Finally…" he murmured with a laugh. "This nightmare is almost over. I can't bloody believe it, Lil. I can feel the couch cushions under my bum already." He laughed, taking Lil's hand. She wasn't even going to ask what he was talking about. The door opened automatically and Wheatley's smile fell.

The entire room was blank. "Wha…what's all this?" he shouted, looking around. There were no consoles or monitors, only a big red button that said "PRESS ME" on it sitting in the middle of the room. Against his better judgment, Wheatley did just that. The sound of a lackluster noisemaker and confetti coming from the ceiling greeted him. "But…" Wheatley couldn't rationalize what was happening. It was all so close and now it was all yanked away from him. The confetti kept falling; even as the rest of the group stepped inside, save for Lil.

No one noticed the tube coming down over Lil, but they heard her scream as it sucked her in. Wheatley ran out of the room and looked up in horror as the tube took Lil away again. "Not this again…" he murmured. He looked at the Androids and rubbed his hands through his hair. "Alright, this time, we stick together. No more separating. That only seems to cause trouble. All of us are in this together. How do we get to her lair from here?" Wheatley asked. The Androids looked at each other and shrugged. "Alright, new plan…" Wheatley took a running start and jumped into the tube just as the suction kicked in again. The Androids shrugged and (with P-Body holding Angie tightly) jumped into the tube as well.

Wheatley was right behind Lil as the tubes took them upward. This felt familiar, but Wheatley ignored it as he reached for Lil as best he could. The tube intersected with another tube and took Lil in one direction while taking Wheatley in another. "Damn!" he shouted. He could see Lil still screaming as he went in another direction. He felt comforted when he saw the Androids hot on her trail. The cool air of the tubes left him little to hope for until he saw another intersection. As he neared it, he timed himself and grabbed a piece of debris heading in Lil's direction. This helped him find his way back into Lil's tube, though he was a ways ahead of her. Stopping himself to wait for her would be a death sentence.

Hope fell as the suction from the intersection separated ATLAS and P-Body from each other, with P-Body still holding on to little Angie. Wheatley looked down and saw Lil go into a different tube before a wall in between the tubes blocked his vision. When the wall left, Lil was nowhere to be found. He looked around frantically as the tube took him forever upward.

He heard familiar screaming and looked behind him in another tube. Wheatley smiled at Lil, who only screamed louder as her tube sucked her up faster.

Surfing in a tube a little ways away, ATLAS waited for an intersection and timed himself. He reached out and grabbed P-Body's legs. She and Angie were happy to be reunited with ATLAS as he clawed his way over them and grabbing P-Body tightly. He held the two tightly and waited for another intersection. ATLAS shouted for P-Body to hold on to Angie tightly as he reached one arm out and grabbed Wheatley's long legs as he passed by in another tube intersection.

"WHEATLEY!" they heard Lil shout as her tube took her off behind some walls and out of sight. Wheatley wanted to shout but felt the tube suck them up harder. He, the Androids, and Angie looked up and screamed as the tube ended and jettisoned them swiftly into a chamber that looked like it was used to house scrap GLaDOS had yet to throw away in the incinerator. Luckily, the junk that hadn't been cleaned up yet broke their fall. Wheatley was still pretty sore as he got up and balanced himself against a wall.

The Androids shook their dizziness away as Angie popped her head out from the debris, still safely in P-Body's arms. "Let's do that again!" giggled a disheveled and dizzy Angie, her hair wildly out of place from the tube ride. P-Body shushed her and started fixing her hair. Wheatley popped his back a few times as ATLAS got up and went straight for the door of the chamber. It didn't take much effort for him to yank the broken automatic door open, revealing another walkway.

"I'm getting a little sick of catwalks and tubes, if you don't mind me saying." Wheatley grumbled to ATLAS, who seemed to be sharing his sentiments. Somehow, Angie's construct toy still stayed in its harness on her back despite the wild ride. Wheatley checked his pockets and sighed happily when he found the disk still intact. "Alright, I don't you know about you guys, but I want to go home, watch some telly, and eat some of Lil's delicious home cooked meals. But…before that, I'd like to take a shower." He murmured. The Androids looked at him inquisitively. "But the only way we can do that is if we get Lil and Dr. Rattmann and get the hell out of here."

The ground under them shook violently, as if the facility was telling them to get a move on. "Mr. Wheatley, how are we going to find Lil and Grandpa? We don't even know where we are." Angie pointed out as they left the chamber slowly. ATLAS chimed in at that moment, saying his sensors still worked. Only Wheatley and P-Body understood him, though. ATLAS pointed upward toward a large dark room looming overhead. Nodding, the group started running again.

"_Ahh, there you four are. I was wondering when I'd see you again. Moron, hand over the child and I promise your murder won't be slow and horrific."_ said GLaDOS over the loud speaker. _"Blue, Orange, did I ever tell you two how much I miss you? Well, I do. I won't punish you too severely for betraying me and you get to look after the child whenever I can't after the procedure is complete. Isn't that what you want? I know how much you two care for her and you'll get to be her nannies. What fun!"_

Wheatley and the others ignored her. They just kept running forward. _"That's right, keep running. You want to know what I did to that rat? I killed him. Yes, he died an agonizing death because he wouldn't tell me what I wanted to know. Yes, he's dead. I murdered him and now I'm about to do the same to you if you don't…give…me…what…I…want…"_

"She's lying, I know it." Wheatley shouted as they got closer to the dark chamber looming overhead. "We have to keep going. Lil has to be in there!" Wheatley and the Androids rounded the corner and felt a very powerful rumble and what sounded like electrical equipment starting up. His eyes shot open when he heard a scream. "LIL! YOU LEAVE HER ALONE!" Wheatley left the Androids and Angie standing there as he ran up ahead of them.

Before they could even take one step, the panel under their walkway flung them upward, separating them from Wheatley, though he didn't notice. He kept running until he felt he reached the highest part of the facility overlooking GLaDOS's chamber. But he didn't see her chamber. The lights refused to reveal what was truly underneath him and all he saw was pitch darkness. Wheatley looked up and saw a management rail, which he followed toward the end of the walkway. At the end, on a wall, a red arrow was painted on. He touched it and noted it was fresh and that this wasn't paint. It was blood. Dr. Rattmann was alive just barely somewhere and was telling him where to go. The arrow pointed to the end of the walkway around another bend, where a bright light shown from under him.

The cooling system, possibly broken, was blowing cool air from below at him at an alarming rate. The light below reflected off his glasses. He tried searching, but the light was too bright to see anything. Wheatley turned around hastily when he heard a clunking noise. Seemingly out of nowhere rolled Angie's construct. The sphere he used to be. He walked to it and picked it up slowly. He stared at its blank eye and looked around. He had completely forgotten about Angie and the Androids in his running fit and now they were gone. "Lil's going to be pretty sore at me for this." He mumbled.

The facility was taunting him. He knew it the moment the bright lights under him shut off completely. Wheatley held onto "himself" (the construct) and decided it was now or never. He climbed onto the railing and jumped into the unknown abyss below him. He wasn't sure, but something was telling him it'd be okay.

Whatever it was, it was right for the most part. He crashed through a ceiling and into another hallway. He felt his head get dizzy when the sudden flash of a well taken care of lobby zoomed past his eyes suddenly. He popped his back a few times and ignored the sharp pain in his legs. He ignored the small cut on his forehead and the rip in his jeans. He looked at his former self and smiled as it made some unknown chiming noises. As if being told, Wheatley held it up to a management rail and watched it magnetically attach itself. "Please, take me to her…them…please…" he pleaded with it. The core suddenly started zooming away, which he followed.

After a long walk, the core stopped at an automatic door and then ascended into the ceiling through a panel. He waved to it with a smile, mouthing "Thank you" as the automatic door opened after a few beeps from above. Wheatley strode in, seeing the room was completely dark, except for a soft light over a female figure sitting on the floor.

"Lil!" Wheatley shouted, as he ran into the dark room. He didn't think he'd actually find Lil and was starting to get worried that GLaDOS had gotten to her already. "Oh, Lil, you have no idea how glad I am to see you! This entire insane ride separating us again, I don't think I can stand it anymore!" Lil sat there in the sitting position Wheatley found her in. She didn't move. Wheatley often found Lil meditating when times got stressful and he figured this was one of those times. She didn't say anything.

The room was completely dark and the only light was from a lone light bulb swinging overhead. The entire facility had become a maze, and Wheatley wasn't sure how big the room he was in actually was or what room it was. He was just happy to see Lil and now they could go ahead with the plan.

"Love, the faster we get out of here, the faster we can…well, get out of here! I'm sure Dr. Rattmann and Tiny Human and the Androids are fine. Just as soon as we find them and get into the Master Control Suite, we can put this entire mess behind us and go home!" Wheatley stood over Lil as the light bulb over them swung softly. Lil didn't move. "Lil, don't you want to go home? Oh, I can't wait to be back in our apartment, love. Me, you, Tiny Human, Dr. Rattmann and the Androids, all one happy family living above the bookstore, oh, sounds like paradise to me. You have no idea how much I look forward to going home and climbing into bed with you after all this is over. Doesn't that sound absolutely lovely, dear?"

Wheatley watched as Lil slowly stood up. "That's the spirit, love!" He shouted as Lil moved toward him slowly. "Now let's get a move on so we can leave this insanity behind and get back to our lives!" Wheatley attempted to take her hand, but he felt her grab his wrists tightly. Something wasn't right and he felt a cold chill sneak its way down his spine.

"Oh, Wheatley…you came for me. I knew you wouldn't leave me behind. You came to save me…" Lil said, though it sounded kind of rehearsed. Wheatley watched as Lil opened her eyes slowly and he ran backward in horror, yanking his hands away. "You're my hero, Wheatley! I knew you'd come for me!" Lil's eyes were yellow and a sickening smile traced along her face as the lights all around came on at once. He wasn't in a blank room. They were right in the middle of GLaDOS's chamber and now he was trapped. He saw cords coming from the back of Lil's head and into GLaDOS's main chassis behind her. At the very back of the chamber, where the stalemate resolution button used to be, Angie and the Androids sat trapped in a glass box though Dr. Rattmann was nowhere to be found.

Lil seductively started walking over to Wheatley. "…come here and let me give my big, strong hero a kiss…" Lil's voice slowly turned into GLaDOS's horrible laughter, which echoed off the chamber walls and throughout Wheatley's broken heart.

_**Central Core to Subject Transfer 65% Complete**_

* * *

><p><strong>N'cha, everyone!<strong>

**Alright, I understand if a few of you hate for this ending. But I promise it will all work out in the end. How? Well, if I told you that now, I wouldn't be hard at work on the awesome conclusion, now would I? Well, just sit tight, my lovelies, for the next chapter is already in the works.**

**Have you guys seen my side-projects yet? I've revived my fable fic "A Maid's Story" because certain circumstances I won't bother you guys with had me thinking in an intimate way, but since that is an M rated story and this is a T rated story right here, I can't get into details about that one without getting in trouble. My other side-project, one I'm particularly fond of, is right here in the portal area. It's called "Playing Favorites" and I can't wait to start putting time into that one. I'm sure you guys will enjoy it a lot. But in the meantime, my energy will go exclusively into the thrilling conclusion of this story. Which…is soon, sadly. *tears***

**But don't be sad, my dears! It's been a great run! And I can't wait to write the authors note for that one.**

**On a more personal note, I wish to thank all of you for your kind words and well wishes during this really odd time in my life. I know getting dumped sounds trivial, but when you're with someone for so long and then all of sudden you aren't calling them every night or texting them every morning, it leaves a void, you know? But thanks to you guys I was able to get over the worst of it. Granted, I still feel a bit off but writing for you guys just kept me going. I love you guys. Thank you, everyone. *bows***

**Alright, enough of the sap! You guys rock!**

**Review and be merry, my friends, I appreciate criticism and look forward to the firestorm that the ending of the chapter might cause! *dons riot gear***

**Wheatley, GLaDOS, ATLAS, P-Body, and Dr. Rattmann belong to Valve.**


	28. The Science of Love

_Reconstructing Humanity_

The Science of Love

Wheatley just stood there. He didn't know what else to do. Was there anything he could do at this point? He could feel his heart sink into the never-ending abyss he felt opening within him. The lights blinked for a bit and then the spotlight was on him. Wheatley jerked his head around, trying to find something, anything, that could help him.

Angie and the Androids stood there helplessly in their glass box as GLaDOS, in Lil's body, sashayed her way around the room. She looked like she was enjoying her new body and looked around. Her fingers traced along the glass of the box and then her eyes shot at Wheatley, who was fighting the urge to fall to his knees. He didn't know what to say. Could he say anything to her?

"I must say, Lillian's body is pretty nice. Very roomy, too. I was only going to stay in here to fix my little 'programing error', but I think I'll keep it. That old chassis was getting cramped anyway." GLaDOS laughed, placing Lil's hands on her hips. Wheatley tried to hide his face as angry tears poured down his cheeks. GLaDOS made Lil's face contort into a mock frown of remorse as she walked to him. "Oh, now don't be sad, Moron. I know this seems bad, but look at it like this: because of you, I have a new body and because of all the information I recorded while that implant was in your head, I know how to use it. It wasn't a complete waste sending you out into the cold world with nothing but a box full of junk."

_**Central Core to Subject Transfer 70% Complete**_

That announcement went off every so often which made Wheatley believe GLaDOS was taking too much pleasure in mocking him. "The face may take some time to get used to, though. I'll have to get on a treadmill or something to lose all this odd gel around the posterior." GLaDOS made Lil's hand grab her behind softly and jiggle it a bit. "…and there is something of yours that I need to get rid of before I can really take this body for a spin; but all in all, it's perfect."

Wheatley cocked an eyebrow, not sure what GLaDOS meant, but soon found himself worrying about something else. GLaDOS made Lil grab at her face as a sharp pain shot through her body. Wheatley watched as GLaDOS dizzily spun around. She looked up at him again and her eyes were brown.

"_Wheatley!"_ shouted Lil. It was indeed Lil's voice. _"Wheatley! Help me! I don't know what she's doing but…"_

He heard her grumble and watched her grab her face again. When Lil propped herself back up, her eyes were yellow again. "There…much better. She's a fighter, I'll give her that." murmured GLaDOS as she stared Wheatley dead in the eyes. "The transfer is going a little slower than I had hoped. You know how downloads are when you anticipate them the most. Fast at first, then they slow to a crawl." GLaDOS twiddled Lil's fingers a bit and then looked at Wheatley again.

"Lil!" Wheatley shouted. "I know you're still in there! I'm going to get you out, I promise!"

"SHUT UP!" shouted GLaDOS. A metal claw grabbed Wheatley and lifted him up. "You've interfered for far too long. I've had it with you and that rat and those Androids! These humans are mine by right and now I'm going to get rid of you once and for all. I considered putting you back in that core, but you lost that chance long ago. I'm going to kill you and since I lost my patience with you as well, it's going to be quick and painless. That's the least I can do for you considering I'm taking over your love's body."

Wheatley struggled against the metal hook. "Lil, I know you can fight her! You're strong enough! You're stronger than anyone I have ever known! Fight her!" he shouted, as Lil's face contorted to a confused look. "Fight her, love! I know you can! Fight her!"

Lil's face contorted again and her eyes turned brown again with a blink. _"Wheatley? I'm trying! But she's too powerful! The cords hurt so much…I just want to go to sleep…"_

"No! Whatever you do, don't go to sleep! I can't bear to lose you again! Fight her, love! I know you can do it!" The metal hooks yanked Wheatley around in mid-air, telling him to stop. "Lil, don't let her win! Think of Tiny Human and how much she needs you! How much I need you!"

Lil fell to her knees and started crying loudly. In her head, the battle raged on between her and GLaDOS. Lil was fighting as best she could, but GLaDOS was winning. "He doesn't love you, don't kid yourself. You think he actually cares about you and your sister? He only says he cares because of who your mother was. If not for that, he probably wouldn't have given you a second thought. Just like all the other men in your life. I can see how much men have hurt you in the past. Your elementary school crush moving away, your middle school boyfriend dumping you for the popular girl, that string of no good losers in high school…wow, you're pretty pathetic and I didn't even have to try and make this up. Oh, there's more, how fun! Your father dying after he promised to stay after your mother's death…how could he be so selfish? If he had stayed home like you wanted him to, he'd still be here and you wouldn't have had to give up everything to take care of your sister…"

Tears forcing themselves down her cheeks, Lil fought to place her hands over her ears, trying to block out GLaDOS. Lil didn't know if these were things she actually felt. "Think about all you could have done if you didn't have your sister to look after. You dreamed of world travel, of writing your own book, and finding a worthwhile husband. But you had to put all that aside for your sister. I can see deep down that you hate having to look after your sister and how much you've had to sacrifice just for her. How could your parents be so selfish?"

Tears streaming down her face, Lil coughed softly and tried to keep her balance. Lil doubled over on the ground and held her stomach. _"Wheatley…I can't…"_

Wheatley knocked himself free from GLaDOS's metal claws and fell softly to the ground. He ran to Lil and picked her up lovingly. "Yes, you can! Fight her, love! I won't leave your side, just fight her!"

GLaDOS made Lil smack Wheatley away. "You are so pathetic. Do you actually think anyone could actually love you? You're more of a moron than I thought before." GLaDOS made Lil get up as she summoned another metal claw down. Wheatley smacked each one away, though it was hard to keep up. "You know, I can read her thoughts, and do you know what her initial thoughts of you were? They weren't pleasant. Oh, she thought you were handsome and charming in your own stupid way, but do you know how lonely she was before you pretty much fell into her life? Very, very, very lonely. Taking care of the small one has to be exhausting and having another adult around seemed nice until she realized you had the intelligence of a grapefruit!"

Wheatley, knowing better than to listen to GLaDOS even when she was telling the truth, kept fighting the metal claws. He soon found himself backed against the glass box that trapped Angie and the Androids. Angie pounded her little fists on the glass, trying to get Wheatley's attention.

"Don't panic sweety. Grandma will get rid of this nuisance very soon." GLaDOS cooed as she graced her way toward Wheatley in Lil's body. Wheatley stared into her eyes and sniffled a bit. "This ends now, Moron. Once I finally get rid of you, I can take over this body completely and get on with everything. Fix up the facility, reprogram my Androids, and live a peaceful life here with the small human. Testing day in and day out, teaching her the ropes of the facility, though I might have to wipe her memory so she won't hate me for killing you in the most graphic way imaginable."

Wheatley took a deep breath and stared GLaDOS down. "Lil, think of your sister and how much she needs you; how much I need you. You gave up everything to take care of Tiny Human, and I know it's frustrating, but she loves you and you can't leave her alone! Fight GLaDOS, don't let her win! Do you really want her taking care of your sister?"

GLaDOS shrieked loudly, making the chamber rumble. "I am too close to let you screw this up for me." With a wave of her hands, GLaDOS moved panels around and blocked Wheatley in. He couldn't run and now he was trapped. "Tell me, how do you want to die? I'm going to give you a chance to make up your own mind on this matter. I can kill you like I killed that rat, or I can test you, and continue testing you until you fall down dead from exhaustion. I actually like that option best. Let's do that one."

A metal hook reached into the panel prison and took Wheatley. Wheatley, despite his feverish struggling, felt himself get sucked into another tube. He didn't have to go far before he was launched into a test chamber. "By the way, Moron…this is the part where I kill you." GLaDOS laughed over the P.A. system.

Lil grabbed her hair and fell to the ground. "Stop struggling, dear…it won't help matters much. Just let it flow…it will be easier." GLaDOS recited as she made the test chamber Wheatley resided in take many forms. "I can tell you're tired. Why don't you go to sleep? Sleep is good…"

"No! Sleep is bad! Very, very, very, bad!" shouted Wheatley at the P.A. system. "Come on, Lil! Fight her!"

Lil's body writhed and fidgeted. _"I'm sorry…"_ she murmured as she took control of her body for just a moment. She made a tube come down and suction Wheatley away. She shed a tear as she heard him shout her name.

Lil then looked over at the glass box holding her sister and the Androids. She made the back of the box open up and revealed the innards of the facility. _"You two, please, take Angie and leave this place. I don't know where I sent Wheatley, but please find him and get out of here. I can't fight her…please tell Wheatley I'm sorry I wasn't strong enough."_

P-Body picked up Angie as she screamed and cried for her sister. "Lil! Lil, no! I don't want to leave you! I'll stay here with you! I won't go!" Angie shouted as she kicked her legs, trying to resist P-Body. "Miss Pee-Bee, put me down! I want to stay with Lil! I don't want to go! I won't leave you, Lil!"

Without hesitation, ATLAS and P-Body left the box and ran down the walkway with the crying child. "Lil, no!"

Lil tried her hardest to ignore her sister's pleas, knew she couldn't. _"I'm sorry, Angie. Be a good girl and take care of Mr. Wheatley and the Androids, alright? I love you."_ Lil murmured. Lil shed one tear as she watched her little sister kick and scream with angry tears. It broke her heart and she tried to fight back the tears, but they flowed down her cheeks like a waterfall. Lil slowly closed the walls back as GLaDOS took control again.

"There, now was that so hard? Don't worry, I'll find her again and she'll be with us forever. Now, sit back, shut up, and let the download continue. We're almost there." GLaDOS sent small shocks through the cords in Lil's head, keeping her quiet. Lil winced softly and continued to cry.

Wheatley found himself once again flung into the inner workings of the facility. He dusted himself off and looked around. "Alright, I am getting bloody tired of seeing these walls!" he shouted, hoping someone could hear him. He would get no satisfaction. Wheatley kicked the railing hard and then bounced backward, holding his hurt foot. "I won't give up. I have to save Lil. I have to save them all. They are my family."

Wheatley started running again but stopped at a wall with a long scientific sequence on it. Wheatley examined the sequence for a moment and looked at the very bottom where an equal sign pointed to a big heart. "The science of being in love…" muttered a familiar voice from behind the wall. "…is complicated, long, and if you don't mind me saying, quite pointless."

Dr. Rattmann, a bit bloodied up but no worse for wear, staggered from behind the wall, holding himself up with the railing. Wheatley ran to him and was about to hug him when Dr. Rattmann leaned feverishly against the railing to get his footing. "She told me she killed you…" Wheatley shouted happily.

Dr. Rattmann coughed a bit and laughed. "Not quite. I tried to delay her for you guys, but I guess…well, the best laid plans of mice and men they say…" Dr. Rattmann coughed a bit and let Wheatley help him up. "Honestly, I don't know how I survived. I couldn't explain it to you. But the important thing is…" Dr. Rattmann coughed up some blood into his lab coat sleeve and tried to stand himself up straight. The fact that he was still carrying the Companion Cube on his back probably didn't help. "…well, we'll get to that when we can."

Putting Dr. Rattmann's arm around his neck, Wheatley hurriedly helped him along the catwalk. "So, now what?" Dr. Rattmann asked, all out of ideas.

"We're going back for Lil. I don't care if she rips me apart, if Lil doesn't leave this place, than neither do I." said Wheatley, the determination prevalent in his voice. "We have to find the Androids and Tiny Human and somehow make our way to the Master Control Suite. How…well, I was hoping you'd chime in for that part, Mate."

Laughing softly, Dr. Rattmann coughed a bit. "Sorry…I'm all out of ideas. Honestly, I'm not really in my right mind right now. Listening to me would probably be the worst thing you could do right now."

"Well, you're being honest and I appreciate that." said Wheatley, as they rounded a corner. "But we don't have much time anymore! We need to find Tiny Human and those Androids and find a way to get Lil out of here before she loses herself completely." Wheatley stopped for a moment and tried to think. Dr. Rattmann looked around and sighed as well. "Lil was fighting her…" Wheatley said, finally after a long pause. Wheatley set Dr. Rattmann against the railing and looked at him. "I could see it in her eyes. She was trying really hard. But GLaDOS is doing something…"

"Weakening her mentally…" Dr. Rattmann chimed in softly. "She's downloading herself into Lil. The less interruptions and the less activity going on, the download will happen faster. It's like anything else you download off a computer. We'll have to find a way to interrupt the process if we're going to free Lil and activate the Quick-Fix." Dr. Rattmann looked around and sighed. "We don't have time to go find any working cores up here and none of the cores can get here without her detecting them."

Wheatley thought for a moment. "…we do have one…"

Still carrying Dr. Rattmann on his shoulder, Wheatley hurriedly ran along the cat walk, looking for something in particular. Trying not to hurt Dr. Rattmann further, Wheatley stepped carefully. To find this core, Wheatley had to think like a core. He remembered that some scientists could summon certain cores from core receptacles and that's what he aimed to do. He did what he always did. He followed the rail until he came to a certain point on the walkway. "Where is…THERE!" Wheatley shouted at a broken panel. He propped the injured Dr. Rattmann against the wall and tried to pry the panel.

After that plan failed, Wheatley kicked the wall beside the broken panel and watched as the core receptacle popped out of the wall. "Alright…now…" Wheatley bent down and looked at the buttons beside the core port and scratched his chin. He tried to remember the numeric code for a certain core. Smiling wide, Wheatley put the code into the keypad and looked up. From behind another panel emerged the blank Intelligence Dampening Core, ready to assist. It popped off the rail and into Wheatley's arms.

"Alright, we have that, but it's blank…" Dr. Rattmann murmured softly. "It'll still connect to her, but it won't do anything."

With a smile, Wheatley happily pressed the eye of the core and the two listened to the lullaby it played. "She redesigned it to play music for Tiny Human, though. From what I think I remember all the cores had a preprogramed song in them…"

"…for 'Bring Your Daughter to Work Day'. I remember that. One of the lab guys had programed the cores to play a song for the girls after the GLaDOS presentation was over. They never got to hear it." Dr. Rattmann shook his head and held his side. The bleeding had subsided but he was still in pain. "If we make it play music while it's connected to her, it might interrupt the download. It's a long shot, but it should buy enough time to get in and get out. Provided we find the small one and the Androids first."

Angie had stopped kicking and screaming after the first few catwalks. ATLAS's sensors were starting to act up while P-Body's barely worked at the moment. "Why did we leave Lil?" Angie whined as ATLAS tried to get his bearings straight. "We have to go back! We can't leave without Lil!" Angie sniffled softly as P-Body cooed in her mechanical chirping, trying to calm her down. ATLAS tapped the side of his head a few times and looked around. His sensors were picking up activity not too far away.

He urged P-Body to follow him as the facility started to fall apart around them. With all the damage from GLaDOS not paying attention, ATLAS was wondering if the entire procedure was even worth it. He grabbed P-Body's hand and rushed her and Angie away from falling debris. ATLAS stopped when he felt a rumble under him that was akin to a volcano erupting. He figured the incinerator was starting to overload and he started running faster as the debris fell all around them.

Angie screamed loudly and pointed to a figure on the catwalk in front of them. P-Body held Angie tightly as the figure, carrying another figure, made itself known. "Mr. Wheatley! Grandpa!" Angie shouted happily. The Androids ran toward Wheatley, who was having trouble balancing Dr. Rattmann and the core.

"Tiny Human!" Wheatley shouted as Angie wiggled herself free from P-Body and ran to him. Wheatley grasped Angie tightly as the Androids ran to help Dr. Rattmann. "How did you lot get free?" he asked as Angie happily grabbed the construct. P-Body described the tearful exchange between sisters as Lil sacrificed her own freedom for him and Angie. Wheatley growled softly and clenched his fists. "Alright, here's what's going to happen and no objections. We care going to get to that damn Master Control Suite and we are going to put a stop to this nonsense once and for all! Now, let's move!"

Wheatley started running after P-Body picked up Angie again and ATLAS held up Dr. Rattmann.

_**Central Core to Subject Transfer 85% Complete**_

Wheatley didn't like that sound, but he kept running. He felt the walk way rumble under him. This wasn't good. Something very bad was about to happen either way. Panels and pieces of walls and floors fell all around them as the facility started to crumble. All of GLaDOS's attention was on the transfer and Wheatley was sure she had no idea what was going on around her. He could understand a big thing such as switching bodies taking up most of one's attention, but at any given moment the entire facility could go up in flames (if some parts of it haven't already).

"_So…it won't be long now…" murmured GLaDOS as Lil attempted to meditate on the situation. "You know, if your mother hadn't died, it wouldn't be you in this position. It'd be her. You'd be free and so would the little one. She had to be selfish and die, didn't she?_

_Lil's mind was racing, trying her hardest not to think about anything to give GLaDOS fodder for her jeering. If these were indeed going to be Lil's last thoughts, she wanted them to be pleasant. Lil's mind became its own little world, though it was blank. Nothing but white all around. Lil sat in place in her mind in the meditative lotus position. "You know, I can see your thoughts. We're becoming one right now as we speak. It's a beautiful thing, actually. You know, you may not believe it, but in a way, I am your Grandmother. Aren't you supposed to respect your elders? Not that I'm old…"_

"_You're a 130-year-old talking machine that is putting herself into the body of a 21-year-old. Let's not talk old versus young." Lil muttered as she tried to center her mind._

"_You're pretty straight forward for a woman your age. It must have been hard giving up everything to take care of the small one." GLaDOS remarked. Lil opened her eyes softly. "I bet the day that finally hit you was a horrible day. I can imagine how miserable you must have felt to know that your life isn't yours anymore. And now, it never will be. You and that idiot 'bonded' and now, you're bonded to him for life."_

_Lil tried to ignore GLaDOS and looked away. "Tell me…did you ever think for a moment that he truly loved you? He didn't start showing it until he found out who your mother was. Don't you think it was odd, all that attention he was showering you with when he found out your mother was indeed the silent psycho? Is it love or is it his desire to attain forgiveness from the dead?"_

_GLaDOS could sense she was hitting something here. Lil tried not to listen. "You DID notice, but like everything else in your life, you ignored it. You didn't realize you were playing second fiddle to your own mother? I can't wait to take over completely, that way at least one of us will have a working brain. How does it feel to know you'll never measure up to her in the eyes of the idiot you supposedly love? It must be maddening. Let that hatred fill you, if not just for a moment so I can finish the procedure."_

_Lil looked around. "No, I know he loves me!" she yelled. "He proved it time and time again, rescuing me from you."_

"_Are you sure it was love or the need to atone for what he had done? And how do you know he really feels that way? What if he's just looking for an excuse to hurt you in the future like he hurt your mother? She was the only person that treated him like he wasn't an idiot and he betrayed her. Smashed her into a pit and made her fight her way back up. He knows what he did. He doesn't love you…"_

"_No! Stop it!" Lil put her hands over her ears and shook her head._

"_He doesn't love you! He only loves your mother and the only reason he's even trying to come back is so he can spend the rest of his life atoning to you and your sister. He'll never truly love you. It'll all be feverish attempts at forgiveness from a ghost. He doesn't love you, or your sister…but I do…"_

_Lil all of a sudden felt like she was being cradled by a pair of warm arms. "Grandma loves you both very much…which is why she has to take over your body. I'll protect you and your sister from people like him. No man will ever hurt you again. All the men in your life have hurt you. Your father lied and promised he'd always be there. Armin tried to harm your sister and steal from you. And now, this idiot sows his oats and won't even admit he's only in love with the memory of your mother."_

_Lil opened her eyes and looked up. The image of a woman in a tan dress and a red scarf smiling down at her gave Lil comfort. "There now, let Grandma make everything better…"_

_**Central Core to Subject Transfer 90% Complete**_

Wheatley and the others ran as fast as they could as the rumbling got worse. The announcement that just blared over the loud speakers didn't give Wheatley much hope, but he had to keep going. Wheatley's stomach turned each time he heard the announcements. He couldn't even think about what Lil was going through or what lies GLaDOS was feeding her. He noticed bits of wall falling around him and looked up. GLaDOS's chamber was noticeably ominous and probably the only thing not falling to pieces.

All of a sudden, a bright light pierced the confines of the chamber. "Lil!" Wheatley shouted as he and his group ran up a set of stairs. P-Body pointed to the bottom of the chamber, as the floor fell from under it. The walkway leading to GLaDOS's chamber detracted itself and flew off, stopping the group from advancing any further. Wheatley looked around and pointed to some more stairs. He was getting a little sick and tired of stairs and cat walks and his anger at the situation magnified that hatred.

The walkway behind them started to collapse. They started running up, hoping to find a platform. It took much running, but the group reached a safe platform a little ways away from GLaDOS's chamber. Parts of the walls were gone and all that was visible was a bright light and the silhouette of a figure. It was Lil. "Lil, hang on! I'm coming for you!" shouted Wheatley.

Thinking quickly, Wheatley knew he didn't have much time. He looked at Dr. Rattmann and then at the Androids and then at little Angie, holding the construct tightly. "Alright, this is where we separated. But, I don't think I'm coming back from this one…"

_**Central Core to Subject Transfer 95% Complete**_

Wheatley looked down at Angie, who had tears streaming down her face. He dug into his pocket and took out the disk. He handed it to ATLAS and looked at him. "Take this. There is still time. Get this to the Master Control Suite and upload it. Ideally, it should make her placid enough to where you can reset the safeguards and fix whatever is causing her to think that this plan would actually work." He murmured. ATLAS accepted it without hesitation. P-Body chirped something loudly; almost objecting to whatever it was Wheatley had planned. Wheatley looked at Dr. Rattmann. "Take Tiny Human out of here. Wait for us in a safe place. If I don't come back…" Wheatley looked down at Angie, whose angry tears caused Wheatley great heartache.

"Tiny Human…" Wheatley knelt down, knowing he didn't have time for a speech. "…I'm going to get Lil back. I'll make sure she finds you. If I don't come back, I want you to know that I love you very much and that my happiest memory is of the day I met you and Lil. Thank you for your friendship. Be a good girl and do as your 'grandfather' tells you." Wheatley hugged Angie tightly, not seeing her reach into her little pocket and pull something out. Angie handed it to Wheatley with a big smile through her tears, along with "Mr. Metal Ball".

"Give this to Lil…" she whispered. Wheatley smiled at the small trinket in his hand and nodded, placing it in his pocket. Dr. Rattmann took Angie's hand and followed the Androids to a safe destination. The facility was starting to rumble badly. The transfer was doing more harm than good and Wheatley knew it was only a matter of time before the entire facility crumbled around him. Wheatley guessed that GLaDOS didn't account for all the energy it would take from the compound to do this transfer, but he left that up to debate.

Wheatley watched as they all disbanded and ran to safety, his heart heavy and not sure what to make of what he just said. He didn't have time to worry about that, now. Wheatley looked up and ran up the stairway toward the Central A.I. chamber and stopped at the end of the walkway. He looked down and grasped the construct tightly. The bright light was almost blinding but he had to try his hardest to look past it and find Lil. He could see GLaDOS's chassis and cords going all over the place. Then he saw Lil.

Lil was suspended in the air and in a semi-meditative state. He wasn't sure why GLaDOS had her off the ground. The transfer was either successful or it was killing her slowly. Either way, Wheatley knew he had to stop it. "Hey, you monster!" Wheatley shouted, with one leg already up on the railing. "Get out of Lil!" he shouted. GLaDOS made Lil's eyes shoot open. He knew Lil was still in there, fighting as much as she could.

The Androids, not sure what was going on, kept close to Dr. Rattmann, who was walking better, but still injured. His sensors going off, ATLAS stopped P-Body and pointed in a different direction. Knowing they didn't have time to say good-bye, P-Body placed Angie down and patted her on the head. In her mechanical language, she chirped to Angie to be a good girl as she followed ATLAS. The Androids ran off as the two humans kept running forward, Angie reaching behind for them.

The Androids pretended not to notice. The entire facility was still coming apart at the seams and now they had a big task ahead of them.

P-Body stopped for a moment and pointed to the wall near the Master Control Suite. Turrets aligned it, as if GLaDOS knew they'd eventually come this way. ATLAS puffed up his chest and took P-Body's hand. His chatter sent a soft feeling of reassurance into P-Body's systems.

"_I won't let them hurt you."_ ATLAS chattered as P-Body smiled.

P-Body shook her head and gripped ATLAS's hand tightly. _"No, we take them on together. Like a team. Like she built us."_ She chirped softly. ATLAS gripped the case of the program tightly and put it in his pocket for safe keeping. He winked to P-Body, who returned it with a smile.

With a confident nod and a wish for luck, the Androids ran head first into the firestorm of turrets.

Dr. Rattmann held Angie's hand tightly as they ran for the maintenance areas. It was the only place he knew they'd be safe. "Grandpa!" Angie shouted as the walls around them fell. It wasn't the walls that frightened Angie, but the white cylindrical item standing in front of their door to freedom. Dr. Rattmann shielded the child from a lone turret that made itself at home in front of the door to the maintenance area.

"_Hello?"_ the turret chirped as it aimed for Dr. Rattmann and the child. He couldn't leave Angie alone now. She'd have nowhere to go and the turret wouldn't be sympathetic to a lost child. Dr. Rattmann thought hard and remembered the cube on his back.

"_Use me…save yourself and the child!"_ it shouted (at least it did in his mind).

Everything went slow as he took the cube off his back. "Forgive me." he whispered to it as he used it as a shield. The turret started firing as Dr. Rattmann ran head first toward the turret. The cube deflected its bullets, but its age showed as it could no longer take the brunt of the bullets. Rattled with bullet holes, the cube stood strong as Dr. Rattmann tossed it at the turret, knocking it off the walkway, followed by the cube.

Dr. Rattmann breathed heavily as Angie ran back up to him. "Grandpa, your cube thing!" she shouted as they watched both fall into the abyss below. Dr. Rattmann shed a tear as he watched it fizzle out of existence. Dr. Rattmann looked down at Angie and hugged her. He took her hand and ran for the door. He mouthed a thank you to the cube and ran inside the maintenance area.

"You…I thought I made it clear I don't need you anymore." GLaDOS said calmly through Lil. "She doesn't love you anymore. You have no reason to stay here. You must want to die rather than be without her. I can oblige, if you like. Too bad you'll die knowing she doesn't love you." GLaDOS made Lil's body move upward, propping her on a panel.

"That's too bad…" said Wheatley. "…because I still love her!" Wheatley jumped the rail; with his construct self under his arm. With the air gushing at him fast, Wheatley flew down toward Lil. "Lil! I know you can hear me in there, you have to keep fighting her!" Wheatley held his arm out and grabbed a thick cable, stopping his descent. GLaDOS just stared at Wheatley, squinting angrily. "Lil, please…whatever she told you it isn't true! Yes, I betrayed your mother and I'll never forgive myself for it. I'll understand if you never forgive me. I'll understand if you bring it up in every argument we have from here until we're old and gray and wrinkly…not the point. Sorry, not the point. The point is that I'll do anything to atone for it, even if it means working at your bookstore for the rest of my life. I don't care, as long as I'm next to you."

Wheatley let himself slide down the cable and propped himself on GLaDOS's chassis. "What are you doing?" GLaDOS panicked. Wheatley held up his old construct self and forcibly planted it into a construct plug on her chassis. Even though it was technically blank, it still seemed to cause her pain, which in turn was causing Lil pain. It didn't rattle on about nothing, like it was programed to. It played Angie's lullaby.

GLaDOS made Lil grab her head and shriek in pain. "What are you doing? Are you trying to kill us all?"

_**Central Core to Subject Transfer Interrupted. Transfer postponed at 97%**_

"Lil…" Wheatley jumped off the chassis and onto a panel. GLaDOS was at least giving him a chance to speak. Or maybe Lil was. He didn't know. "Lil, we don't have much time, but even if you do let her take over your body and kill me, I want you to know that I love you…unconditionally. I know it's been a bumpy road, teaching me human stuff and helping me through those tough times when my memories started coming back. I want you to know none of this would have happened without you. I don't know what she's telling you in your head, but I know it's wrong. I've loved you since we first met. Remember? You and Tiny Human 'adopted' me and took me into your home when you could have left me there and I know I probably didn't do much to repay your kindness, but I'll do anything to let you know that I love you. I could have gone the rest of my life not knowing who your mother is, and I still would have loved you all the same. If you want me to atone, I will. But know that I love you and I'll do anything to make you and Tiny Human happy."

"LIAR!" a combination of GLaDOS and Lil's voice shouted at the air gushing from below bellowed steam and smoke at Wheatley. He felt the panel move a bit but he stood strong. "YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO LOVE! ALL YOU KNOW HOW TO DO IS DESTROY! GET OUT OF MY FACILITY BEFORE I REALLY LOSE MY PATIENCE!" Panels flew around Wheatley wildly. The construct on the chassis started spinning wildly. Wheatley knew his time was running out. The light started shining brighter as Lil glared at him. Wheatley swallowed hard and reached into his pocket.

"…I love you, Lillian. I love Tiny Human. I even love those Androids. The only thing keeping me going through this entire ordeal was knowing that at the end I could go home with you and Tiny Human. I want to take care of you two. Please believe me when I say this, Lil…I love you. I always will. Even if she kills me, at least let me die knowing that you still love me. Lil, please, fight her. Not for me, but for our family…"

Wheatley took Pam's ring from his pocket and presented it to her. "…the family I want us to make together. I love you, Lillian McLain. I always have and I always will…"

It must have been Lil that made the panel with Wheatley come close to her, because GLaDOS wanted to toss him to his death. The two panels connected, allowing Wheatley to slip the ring on Lil's finger. Lil's eyes fluttered from yellow to brown off and on. She stared at the ring on her finger, tears coming down her face. "…I want us to be a family, too…" she uttered as her eyes turned completely brown.

"_What? What's going on?"_ _GLaDOS shouted in Lil's head. Lil stood up, leaving the image of the woman in tan behind. "Hey, where are you going?" the woman shouted. "You can't actually be buying into this nonsense! He's an idiot! The only thing he can do right is mess up!"_

_Lil looked back at the lady as she started to disappear. Lil looked like she wanted to say something, but she said nothing. The lady in tan started to disappear. Lil smiled softly and looked forward, walking away as the lady reached out for her. Lil decided that she was going to fight it, and give it her A game._

"_I don't know about you…" Lil muttered softly as the lady in tan started to become see through. "…but I have someone waiting for me. Two people, actually." _

_Lil kept walking, but then stopped suddenly, without looking back. "I have to wonder, though, did you really need me to fix a problem or were you jealous of what my mother accomplished when she left this place? Were you angry that she just left you behind without even considering you? Were you mad that she started over and didn't share any of it with you? Did you really need me to fix a problem, or did you cause the problem just to have an excuse to bring her back? Were you so mad, so resentful, towards my mother that you'd be willing to rip her own daughters from the world above just to get back at her?"_

_The Lady in Tan just stared at Lil, black tears streaming down her cheeks. Lil smiled softly and looked back at the lady. "You're the one who doesn't know what love is. Maybe one day, someone will stumble along and help you find out. I have nothing but respect and sympathy for that poor fool, but I wish that person all the luck in the world. Until then, I have a life out there that needs me as much as I need them. Am I angry that I had to give up everything for my sister? Yes, I am. I can't honestly say I like the idea of giving up my plans of world travel and writing my novel for having to look after a six-year-old. But would I give any of it up?"_

_The Lady in Tan glared at Lil._

"_No, I wouldn't. If anything, I'll take them with me when I travel and dedicate every book I write to them. I couldn't see myself without Angie or Wheatley and without them my life wouldn't make any sense. Angie will always be my world and nothing will ever come first, just like we came first for my mom." Lil folded her arms and smiled softly. "My mom once told me a story about a warrior who fought for over one hundred years for her freedom and the story always ended there. But now, I have a new ending for it. The Silly Prince won this day, Evil Queen. I think he's done more than atone for his deeds and now it's time for him to claim his prize."_

_The Lady in Tan didn't have anything to say. "See you around, 'Grandma'." Lil walked forward with a smile on her face. The Lady in Tan screamed in agony as she disappeared from Lil's mind._

_**Central Core to Subject Transfer Canceled. Please Stand By As All Constructs Return to Their Proper Location.**_

The cables in the back of Lil's head started coming out one by one as she walked to Wheatley and embraced him. Each tiny needle slid seamlessly out of her head, not even getting tangled in her hair. Wheatley and Lil grasped each other and cried together. Wheatley kissed Lil deeply as the panel slowly lowered itself. The floor reconstructed underneath them.

"'Ello, there, love…good to have you here…" Wheatley muttered as Lil cried in his chest. "I love you, Lil. Only you…" Wheatley whispered as he grasped Lil's face. "…I should warn you, it's an old ring and…"

"I don't mind, Wheatley. It was meant to be worn and I know she'd want it to be worn with love." Lil whispered as Wheatley hugged her tightly. "It's okay, Wheatley. I know you love me. You don't have to prove anything to me." The panel finally lowered itself into the floor as everything else powered down. The emergency lights came on just as Lil kissed Wheatley on the cheek.

"What if I want to?" Wheatley joked as the chamber started to reconstruct itself. Everything was slowly coming back online and being put back in its place. Though the facility was slowly coming back online, Wheatley didn't even pay it any mind. All that mattered to him was Lil and now he had her back in his arms where she belonged. "I love you, Lil. Never let anyone tell you otherwise."

Looking up, Wheatley and Lil heard soft pitter-patter coming from a catwalk behind a malfunctioning panel. "Lil! Mr. Wheatley!" Angie shouted as she squeezed through the malfunctioning panel. Lil bent down and grasped her sister tightly. Dr. Rattmann, looking like he was struggling without his walking stick, limped over to Wheatley and shook his hand. "Me and Grandpa watched the whole thing! That was so cool!" Angie shouted as she hopped up and down excitedly.

Lil cried soft tears as she hugged Angie tightly. "You have no idea how happy I am to be your sister." Lil cried as Angie hugged her back. Angie jumped from Lil to Wheatley and hugged his long legs.

"I hate to kill the mood, but we separated from the Androids not too long ago and I'm not sure how far they got." Dr. Rattmann tugged at his shirt collar and looked around. The entire room was dark, save for one lone flickering emergency light over the automatic door. "I heard turrets firing, and that's not usually a good sign. We need to get out of here, NOW!"

Just as Dr. Rattmann took Angie's hand, the lights shot on and a wall of turrets appeared from behind the panels. Wheatley had never seen anything so terrifying in his entire life. He grabbed Lil and Angie, shielding them with Dr. Rattmann under him.

GLaDOS coiled above them, obviously angry.

"…You want your freedom…?"

* * *

><p><strong>N'cha my loves!<strong>

**Oh, did I just end on a cliffhanger, again? Drat, sorry about that.**

**Don't worry; the final chapter is already half-way done along with a special surprise!**

**So, how did I do? PLEASE let me know in the review thingy! Did I do good or did I shatter your dreams and now you're plotting my death? Well, before you summon the Dark Brotherhood, just remember the final chapter is coming up so stay tuned for that!**

**If need be, I'll take this chapter down and redo it, just please, please, PLEASE let me know how I did. I must know!**

**Review (can't stress that enough) and be merry (stressing that even more) my loves!**

**GLaDOS, Wheatley, Dr. Rattmann, ATLAS, and P-Body belong to Valve.**


	29. Humanity Restored

_Reconstructing Humanity_

Humanity Restored

"Take it…"

The automatic door revealed itself as the low lights turned on all the way. Of course the humans were hesitant at first. Who wouldn't be? They had just spent who knows how long running from this mechanical monster and nearly died trying to fix her programing. Wheatley looked up first. The humans were hunched over each other, with Wheatley on top, sheltering his family.

"Did you hear me? I said leave. You've caused enough trouble around here. The last human to cause this much trouble…nevermind; it doesn't matter now, does it? I swear, the other humans don't cause this much commotion. Do you know how far behind schedule I am because of you four?" Oh yes, that sounded like the GLaDOS Wheatley knew all too well. "Your debt is repaid, moron. Leave now."

Wheatley looked up at the booth far above the chamber. They were busted and broken, but there stood ATLAS and P-Body, waving to him. ATLAS was scratched up and had a few bullet holes in him from running down the hallway of turrets. P-Body's face was cracked and had a few bullet marks on her as well. Wheatley didn't think they'd actually make it, but there they were.

It worked. The quick-fix program worked. More importantly, they made it in time to initiate the program into GLaDOS. The quick fix programing was taking effect thanks to those two. As exhausted as he was, it took some effort to smile. Did GLaDOS know what was happening to her? Wheatley really didn't care. Even if it only worked long enough for them to escape, he'd be happy with it. The humans stood up straight as they heard the other doors unlock and open.

"Get…out…" They knew GLaDOS could quickly change her mind, so they left in haste.

No time was wasted leaving the Central A.I. Chamber.

No long winded speeches were given.

No goodbyes to "Grandma" were exchanged.

Dr. Rattmann scooped up Angie, holding her tightly and running as best he could with his bad leg. Wheatley took Lil's hand and made a run for it, leading the way. The long hallway consisted of a corridor made of glass, allowing the small group to see into the now working facility. Everything moved about, and Wheatley knew everything was returning to normal (or what counted as normal at Aperture). Along the far away walls, Wheatley could barely make out little red lights dotting the darkness. He could hear the faint sounds of a farewell song as he urged the others along, in case GLaDOS changed her mind.

At the very end of the corridor, they found an elevator to the surface. It opened the moment they stepped near and it allowed them to board. As soon as one could sigh in relief, they were on their way up.

No words were said as they passed each floor. It amazed them how fast things went from horrible anarchy to business as usual in the facility, but there it was. Everything was running like clockwork. In a weird sense, it seemed like nothing had happened at all. Though it felt discouraging, they were relieved to be passing each floor without stopping. Soon, the elevator went faster and before they knew it, it stopped.

The elevator hatch opened with a soft hiss and revealed the wheat field; the same wheat field Lil and Angie's mother saw the day she had earned her freedom. It was the same view of the field she hoped her daughters would never see. They felt the same combination feeling of triumph and fatigue she hoped they'd never have to feel after meeting someone she never wanted them to meet.

The door then slammed shut behind them. All that was left that the world knew of Aperture was a lone shed in the middle of a field. They were all thinking the same thing: It was best this way. The world wasn't (and probably would never be) ready for the wonders hidden deep below, just conveniently out of sight.

Carrying an exhausted Angie, Dr. Rattmann was the first to step into the wheat, with Wheatley and Lil trailing behind. Angie was sad that they had to leave ATLAS and P-Body behind, but deep down, she knew they couldn't come too. They were the only ones left to keep GLaDOS in check. Wheatley's Quick-Fix would only hold for so long, and someone had to be there to repair it. Angie wiped a little tear from her face and whimpered into Dr. Rattmann's shoulder. "Good bye, Mr. ATLAS…good bye, Miss Pee-Bee…" she murmured, as Dr. Rattmann placed her on the ground.

"Is everyone alright?" asked Wheatley as he made sure everyone was there. Lil nodded and looked around. This felt weird; looking out at the field as birds chirped in the distance.

Dr. Rattmann coughed softly and laughed a little bit. "It's…been too long…" he muttered as he trailed his hand along the wheat. Dr. Rattmann smiled and closed his eyes as the sun tickled his face. He had never felt anything so refreshing in his life. Little things that they took for granted, like simple sunshine, would now be cherished as if it were a gift. Limping a little, the strain from carrying Angie not helping his injury, Dr. Rattmann stood up straight and took a deep breath. The fresh air made it all worthwhile.

"Dr. Rattmann, how are you feeling?" asked Wheatley.

"I'm alright. Years without the sun…" Dr. Rattmann coughed a bit and smiled. "…does a number on your health."

Dr. Rattmann felt a little tug on his coat and looked down. Angie looked up at him and smiled. "Grandpa, I'm sorry we couldn't save your weird cube thingy." She said as he hugged both her and Lil. He had never seen himself as a father, let alone a grandfather, but Dr. Rattmann welcomed the role with (literally) open arms.

"It's alright, Little One. Your safety is much more important to me." He cooed, as he hugged his "Granddaughters".

Angie smiled as he picked her up and they all started walking. "I'm sorry things didn't work out with you and Grandma, also." She added. Dr. Rattmann just laughed. At that moment, the wind blew softly, reminding the group that the cold weather was still setting in. Lil had almost forgotten how long they had been underground and looked around the field at some of the wheat buried under melting snow and ice. Dr. Rattmann smiled at the unseasonable warmth that made itself known after the cool breeze as the group started walking.

Wheatley took off his glasses and wiped them with his shirt. There was a small crack in one of the lenses, but nothing he couldn't get fixed. Lil noticed Wheatley wasn't walking with them. "What's wrong, Wheaters?" she asked, turning back to him.

Wheatley put his glasses back on and looked around. Just as it was the day he first left, the field gave him a sense of freedom he had never thought he'd felt before. The feeling of uncertainty and confusion was replaced by the overall feelings of accomplishment and a newfound sense of freedom. He wasn't walking into the great unknown this time. His debt to Chell (and to a lesser extent, GLaDOS) finally paid, Wheatley found himself looking forward to the future; his future with Lil. "Nothing's wrong, Love. I've just never been so happy to be alive…" he answered as Lil ran up and hugged him.

"My hero…" she whispered into his ear before she kissed his cheek. Wheatley held Lil tightly and smiled as the sun hit his cheeks. Lil stared into Wheatley's eyes and giggled. "Your eyes are blue. I never noticed that before." She chuckled as Wheatley grabbed her tightly. Without even needing a reason, Wheatley and Lil kissed passionately as the wind blew by slowly. They slowly separated when Angie's childish giggle interrupted them. Dr. Rattmann smiled as well, chocking an eyebrow at Wheatley and giving him a thumb's up.

Angie reached into her little pocket and pulled out Lil's keys. They had been resting there since the entire ordeal began and she had been holding onto them loyally. How they hadn't fallen out of her small pocket during the entire adventure through Aperture was a mystery, but Lil didn't seem to be complaining. She happily took her keys and smiled at the dirty Hello Kitty key chain dangling about. She was happy to see her car keys and eager to get back behind the wheel of that big yellow Jeep. Dr. Rattmann patted the little girl on her head as the group started walking again. "She's a smart one. She's like a miniature version of your mother." He commented.

Lil sighed softly and nodded. "Well, 'Grandpa', if you want, I have a ton of pictures of Mom back at our apartment if you want to see them. I'm sure they're mostly intact, considering. You can stay in the spare room." said Lil, with a laugh. Dr. Rattmann nodded happily. "Provided our insurance company will believe a psycho android destroyed our building…"

The three of them laughed softly as Wheatley cleared his throat. "Oi, oi! No time to play around, we have a long walk ahead of us!" Wheatley shouted, as he started walking. For once, he was going to lead, and he did so with confidence. "ATLAS and P-Body parked the Jeep near the original entrance to the labs so we got quite a long walk ahead of us."

With a skip in their step, the makeshift family followed behind their new patriarch.

"Hey, Grandpa, want to hear a story?" asked Angie, tugging on Dr. Rattmann's arm. Dr. Rattmann chuckled softly and nodded to the little girl. "My mom used to tell me and Lil this story all the time." As Angie prattled on, Dr. Rattmann looked at the child proudly.

They estimated it was pretty early in the morning when they started walking. It was a shorter walk since they knew where they were going. The story kept the group going as they made their way through the field, passed the old farm house, down the abandoned highway, and to the abandoned Aperture building. It was early evening by the time they reached the office building. Dr. Rattmann smiled softly as they entered the broken gate of the old office building. He couldn't remember the last time he had seen the front of the building, but a sad smile crinkled across his face. He looked around, hoping he'd find the possibly rusted remains of his car, but only Lil's Jeep stood in the parking lot.

Melted snow and ice covered the yellow Jeep, but all in all, it wasn't worse for wear. Lil couldn't have been happier to see her Jeep again, almost hugging the hood as the group approached. After wiping off some of the partially melted snow and ice, Lil happily unlocked it, silently cursed that ATLAS readjusted her seat, and started up the Jeep. It took a few tries, but it finally started up. She had never been happier to be behind the wheel of her car. After everyone was buckled in, Lil zoomed as fast as the Jeep would go out of the parking lot of the abandoned Aperture office building, giving it the finger as they drove away.

Wheatley felt somewhat remorseful. Long ago, in a time he was still having trouble remembering, this place was his livelihood. It was the place he woke up for and the place he silently cursed on his way home. He felt confident that this was the absolute last time he'd be driving away from the building. He remembered driving up to this building for the last time and how well that ended, but now he had no intention of coming back.

For his part, Dr. Rattmann looked like an amazed child as they entered the city. Lil had never been so relieved to see the sprawling buildings that almost touched the sky. She was amazed how light traffic was for the early evening, but considering all the damage done, Lil couldn't complain.

Lil had no idea how she was going to explain to her insurance company that a mad robot had smashed up her store and home. But luckily, the insurance agency had its hands full with the other claims from the Shopping District incident that they didn't bother to ask what happened. They just assumed she had the same story as the other people, wrote Lil a (very generous) check and wished her the best of luck. Luckily, nothing really sentimental was lost (save for some of Angie's stuffed animals and the television).

After returning to the apartment to grab some essentials, the little family made itself at home in a nice hotel on the other side of the shopping district. Dr. Rattmann sat with Angie as she pointed out different pictures in the photo albums they brought from the apartment. Dr. Rattmann, after having had his first proper shave, shower, and fresh set of clothes in over one hundred years, laughed along the Angie's stories of her mother and smiled proudly at the life she lived. One picture stood out from the others.

It was the one of Chell by herself standing in front of what looked like a garden. "Mom loved being outside. She started the rooftop garden of our apartment and when it started to bloom, Dad took that picture. You can't tell, but she had Lil in her belly when that picture was taken." Angie giggled, pointing to the picture.

After everyone else had a bath and had been scrubbed clean, Lil had her shower last and spent the longest in the bathroom. She bought something from the convenience store after they had dinner at a local diner. Dr. Rattmann, having had nothing except whatever he could scrounge around the garden for the last twenty-five years, devoured his hamburger in only a few bites. Lil emerged from the bathroom of the hotel room, blushing with a smile on her face. She ignored Angie's invitation to join her and Dr. Rattmann over the picture album and joined Wheatley on the balcony. He had been contemplating everything that had happened in the course of what they later found out was a week or so and he had a lot to consider. When Lil slid the balcony door open, he welcomed her with open arms.

Wheatley held Lil tightly as they watched over the lights of the city. "You know we could just take the insurance money and buy a house. It sounds like a better investment anyway." Wheatley chuckled.

Lil shook her head. "The apartment should be fine for now. It might get a little cramped, though."

"I'm sure Dr. Rattmann won't mind sleeping in my old room. I'll clear my stuff out once the repairs are done, love." Wheatley whispered as the snow started to fall over the city. Despite the distance, Wheatley could see the bookstore roof from the hotel balcony and the construction going on around the Shopping District. He knew Lil couldn't wait to be back in the apartment, but Wheatley was happy anywhere Lil was. "When the warm weather comes, we should take a trip somewhere. I'd like the visit this England place. I'm apparently from there. Maybe it'll jog the ol' memory a bit more." Wheatley chuckled.

"I'm in no condition to travel." Lil giggled slyly, looking up at Wheatley. Wheatley cocked an eyebrow and just smiled. Lil looked up at Wheatley and cuddled close to him. "Hey, Wheaters, did you mean everything you said back at the facility? It wasn't just a last resort, heat of the moment thing?"

"I meant every word of it." Wheatley said, without hesitation. "This whole 'being human' thing is still taking some getting used to, but as long as I have you and Tiny Human, I think I'll be alright. It will take some time, but I think with such good teachers, I might give this humanity thing one more good shot. Either way, I know I want you by my side through it all."

Lil smiled and held her hand up to the light. The ring, despite its age, was as beautiful as the day Wheatley bought it years ago. "I feel like she's happy that I'm happy and even though she never saw that ring, she's happy that it's being worn with love, like it was meant to be." Wheatley kissed Lil on the forehead before bringing her close for a passionate kiss that left her knees weak. "How do you feel about a summer wedding, love?" Wheatley asked as the snow lightly fell.

"I think a spring wedding would be more appropriate." Lil murmured.

"Why a spring wedding?" Wheatley asked softly.

Angie and Dr. Rattmann looked up from their travel down memory lane as they heard Wheatley on the balcony stammer back a bit, knocking over a chair. They heard Lil laugh softly and Angie looked up, watching Wheatley grab his chest and fumble about as Lil helped him back up. Dr. Rattmann didn't say anything as he directed Angie to the bathroom to get her ready for bed. As he helped himself up, he picked up one of the pictures that fell out of the photo album. It was of Chell and her daughters, each one with the same big smile. Dr. Rattmann smiled and stood up all the way.

Outside, Wheatley was breathing deeply as Lil giggled. "YOU'RE WHAT?!"

_**Three Years Later**_

"Hmmm…" The older looking woman sighed as she and her two companions waited at an old bus stop far down the old highway outside of the city. "I'm starting to get the feeling this bus stop hasn't been in use for quite some time." The lady wore white and had on a pair of sunglasses. Despite the warm weather, the lady wore a long sleeve cardigan draped over her shoulders, which matched her equally white dress. Her hat was white as well with a yellow ribbon on it, flowing in the soft afternoon breeze. Her hat shielded her white hair, tied in a low bun, from the unforgiving summer sun magnified by the broken glass of the bus stop. She held herself regally, with her purse on her elbow, held close. Her two companions, a young man and a young woman, hopped about excitedly. "Now, now, you two; settle down. We'll be there soon enough." The woman whispered, in a somewhat mechanical voice.

The sunshine yellow Jeep stopped just outside of a two-story Victorian style home in the suburbs. The red brick house was on a slight hill with stone steps leading up to the porch. The little red "For Sale" sign had recently been replaced with a "Sold" sign and now a family was moving in. Most of the furniture had already been moved in, and now all that remained were the family and their possessions. It was the beginning of summer and it definitely felt like it.

It didn't take much effort for Dr. Rattmann to make fake identifications for himself and Wheatley. No one asked questions when Wheatley went to get a brand new driver's license (for the first time in well over a century), or when he applied to be co-owner of Lil's bookstore, or when they applied for a marriage license and were married in a small ceremony in the park on a sunny spring morning. As Dr. Rattmann had often said and even put it in his speech at their wedding: "No harm, no foul".

Eight-year-old Angie was about a month shy of her ninth birthday, but she was already trying her hardest to be more adult. She still liked wearing dresses, that hadn't changed, along with always being at odds with Lil about certain things. Though she had matured a great deal in the past few years, to Wheatley she would always be "Tiny Human"; that happy little six-year-old he had befriended years ago in the run down gas station.

Angie ran into the house first carrying her box of things. "Lil, it's huge in here!" she shouted, looking around. This was her first time seeing the new house. She noted that most of the stuff was still in boxes and the furniture had yet to be arranged. She smiled deviously and knew she had her summer project planned.

Dr. Rattmann walked in next, though he didn't have much. He looked very different compared to how he had spent the last twenty-odd years. Clean shaven and dressed modestly, Dr. Rattmann now definitely looked like a grandfather. With the falsified documents, he was able to obtain more medication, though he found he didn't need it as much as he used to. "Slow down, Angie. We still have a lot of stuff to unpack before we can do anything. Why don't you go help your sister?" he laughed, as he placed his box down. He still needed a cane to get around, but the pain in his leg was less severe now, letting him walk short distances without assistance.

Angie turned around and ran back outside. Her two high pigtails over the years had morphed into a mid-high ponytail. Dr. Rattmann smiled whenever he saw that ponytail bouncing as Angie ran. It reminded him of Chell. Both of the girls reminded him of Chell and it made him smile. She was probably the closest thing he ever felt to having a child, coming from years of watching over her and making sure she safely made it to the cryochambers. So it made sense that he let Angie call him "Grandpa", even though they both knew he wasn't biologically related to them.

"Love, you'll break my back!" shouted Wheatley, as he carried pregnant Lil over the threshold. Lil giggled as Wheatley let her down softly and leaned against the door frame to catch his breath. "That counts as my work-out for today." He laughed as he regained his composure. Lil wasn't very pregnant, only about five months along, but she was already starting to show.

"Come on, I'm not that heavy yet." She shouted, looking somewhat insulted.

Wheatley smiled and wrapped his arms around Lil. "Sorry, Lil. I'm probably still a little exhausted from packing." He said, as he kissed her cheek. Lil smiled and kissed him back.

"Good save." whispered Dr. Rattmann as he and Wheatley snuck in a quick fist pound before walking back to the door.

Despite being pregnant, Lil looked radiant. Most of the time, Wheatley couldn't keep his hands off of her. Lil had to remind Wheatley that there were other people around (be it in the apartment or out in public). When privacy and room became an issue, Wheatley told Lil it might be time to buy a house. Of course, Wheatley had begun to talk to Lil about buying a home long before their Aperture adventure. She had refused at first, saying that the apartment was fine. But then, something happened…

Wheatley knelt down in the doorway and opened his arms. "Come on, Love…come to Daddy…"

Trailing in front of Angie up the steps to the porch was a little two-year-old with big brown eyes and dark brown hair. Her little blushing cheeks were barely hidden behind her teddy bear. This little girl was Wheatley and Lil's first child. Lil had suspected she was pregnant while they were at the facility. After returning home, she bought a pregnancy test and decided to find out once and for all if her sickness was anxiety due to the situation or her and Wheatley's first night before coming to the Enrichment Center.

It was a shock, to say the least. Wheatley didn't know how to feel. He couldn't help but remember Pam and how she suffered. Lil helped put his mind at ease by telling him she wanted him beside her every step of the way, no matter what and promising to tell him everything. It didn't get rid of his panic initially, but it helped subdue it. Lil insisted they get married. Of course, Wheatley didn't need convincing.

"Come on, don't be scared, Chelly…" Wheatley cooed as the little girl ran to her father. When they found out they were having a girl, naming her after Chell was a no-brainer. Wheatley happily picked up the little girl and carried her over the threshold as well. "This is our new home, Love." He cooed, holding his daughter close. "It's definitely a lot roomier than that little bitty apartment, isn't it?" The little girl nodded but still kept her teddy bear close to her. "You'll have lots of space to play, and you even have your own room now, so you don't have to share with Auntie Angie anymore." Wheatley put the little girl down and watched her ponder the place. "I know Angie will be pleased."

Wheatley stopped calling Angie "Tiny Human" around the time baby Chell was born, though sometimes it snuck through. Angie secretly missed the moniker, but decided it made sense, seeing as she wasn't very tiny anymore.

Lil found a chair that didn't have something stacked on it and sat down. She hated it, but if she had gotten up to help, Wheatley would have started panicking. So, Lil resigned herself to making sure Little Chell stayed out of the way.

Lil's most recent pregnancy was more planned than the last one, though Lil was happy either way. When she told Wheatley she was having another baby, he almost fainted again. The first time he fainted was when Lil went into labor with little Chelly. Wheatley didn't leave her side the entire time before that. When Wheatley came to and was handed his daughter, it was love at first sight. He even kept her bassinet in the bookstore during his shifts so he wouldn't be away from her.

Business at the bookstore couldn't have been better. Over the past few years, Lil's business sense (Angie insisted she got it from their Dad) saw them through some good times. Lil had been pondering for years whether or not to open another store, but never had the confidence her father had. She had discovered her father's old plans to do so and with some encouragement from Wheatley, she decided to go ahead with it. Before too long, that store was doing even better than the original. A few successful business investments later, Lil and Wheatley found themselves looking for a house.

Wheatley wasn't as business minded as Lil, even though he had signed on as co-owner of the bookstore. Lil told him he was just a pretty face to get business to each store. It was partially true, seeing as no matter which store he was at, female patronage skyrocketed. Whenever they saw him walk around with the diaper bag and Little Chelly, Lil couldn't keep books on the shelves.

"Alright, that should be everything." said Dr. Rattmann as he placed down another box.

Lil nodded happily as she gave Wheatley some boxes to take into the kitchen. "Electricity is on, heat and air is on, the cable guy is coming tomorrow to set up the TV and internet, and the water is on. I hereby declare our new home officially livable now. Did we pretty much clear out the apartment?"

Dr. Rattmann smiled as he opened another box. "There might be a few things left at the apartment, but we can go get those tomorrow. Then we can finish setting up everything before the new tenants show up."

Lil nodded and stood up slowly. Since becoming pregnant, her equilibrium was off, which everyone found quite funny. "Good. You guys start unpacking and I'll go get started on dinner." said Lil, as she waddled off toward the kitchen. Angie, who was sitting on the floor nearby playing with Little Chell, made a grimace, making Little Chell giggle with her hands over her mouth.

Wheatley followed Lil into the kitchen and helped her unpack some pots and pans. "It's a lovely home, Lil." He said as Lil put the pots and pans away.

"It is. I fell in love with it the moment the realtor showed it to us. Angie gets her own room, Chelly gets her own room, and we finally get some privacy." Lil giggled. Wheatley took the pans from Lil and put them in a lower cabinet. Lil sighed and placed her hand on her hip. "Are you sure Dr. Rattmann doesn't mind living in the basement? I know the real estate agent said it had been refurbished to be a den, but it still seems kind of, well, lonesome down there." Lil looked around the kitchen, trying to see if anything else needed to be arranged.

Wheatley nodded and stood up. "I asked him a bunch of times and he said he didn't mind. I even offered him that room we were going to use as a home office and guest room, but he kept refusing. It's not all that bad, I mean, we were never going to use as a den or a basement. We agreed to stay above ground as much as possible. Even creepier with that ugly green shag carpeting..."

Lil nodded. "True. Basements freak me out anyway. As long as he's comfortable, I guess I shouldn't worry so much. I mean, the man spent well over a hundred years living in a stasis bed and then almost thirty years living in a wall." Lil sighed softly and crossed her arms. "I still don't like the basement, though. But, it's his space and he can do with it what he wants." As Lil started getting dinner ready, she stopped for a moment and placed her hand on her stomach, giggling.

"What's wrong?" asked Wheatley as he put some dishes away in the cabinet.

Lil felt her stomach and giggled again. "The baby kicked and it tickled." She giggled.

Wheatley wrapped his arms around Lil and put his hands on her stomach. "Lively one, isn't he?" asked Wheatley as he kissed Lil's cheek. Lil smiled softly, knowing how much Wheatley wanted a boy. She was happy either way, but found Wheatley's insistence on having a boy adorable.

Lil giggled and started making dinner. "Well, Wheaters..."

"Well, Wheaters, what?" asked Wheatley, as if dreading the question.

"You've been dodging this question for weeks now and I want to know what you think we should name the new baby." Lil sounded insistent. "I know you want to wait and see what we're having, but I think we should at least start narrowing down names. I have a few good ideas for girl names."

Wheatley sighed loudly. "I am surrounded by women in this house! Make-up, dresses, frilly undergarments, colorful stuffed animals; it's maddening! If I didn't know any better, I'd say you, Angie, and Chelly were building an army against me! In between you, Angie, and little Chelly, I can't win any fight! If it weren't for Dr. Rattmann, I probably wouldn't have anyone to talk to!"

Lil chuckled and started chopping some vegetables (once she found her knife set and cutting board). "Yes, Wheatley, it's a conspiracy against you. Me, Angie, Chelly, and my uterus have conspired against you just so you can feel uncomfortable in your own home. Curses, you've discovered my master plan." Lil sighed sarcastically as she chopped a cucumber.

"See? I knew it!" Wheatley shouted. Lil rolled her eyes and pointed to the dining room table, which had yet to be set up. Wheatley still had trouble with sarcasm, but quiet messages he seemed to get pretty well. He sighed and went to go set the table. Anything to avoid losing another argument with Lil.

After dinner and initial unpacking, it was time for bed. Lil had gotten dressed for bed and found Wheatley going through a box in the living room. "What are you doing, Wheaters?" Lil asked as she slowly made her way down stairs. Wheatley had a sad look on his face as he unwrapped something. He looked up and attempted to smile as he looked back down at the picture. Wheatley begged Lil to get rid of the old picture of him and Pam they had found years ago, but Lil refused, telling him it wasn't healthy to just throw away the past.

"I know you really don't want to throw it away. It's alright, I don't mind if we keep it." said Lil, placing her hand on Wheatley's shoulder. Wheatley sighed and looked at the picture. Lil had bought a new frame for it years ago but Wheatley still found himself fighting for his memories. He remembered a good deal but his memories were still something of a scrambled mess. Wheatley smiled softly and walked over to the fireplace mantle. Already on the mantle were other pictures. Lil smiled and took a smaller picture off the mantle.

The picture was a few years old and taken back when Wheatley had first started living with Lil and Angie. The picture itself consisted of Wheatley, Lil, and Angie in front of the bookstore. "Who would have guessed this picture would be the beginning of our family?" Lil giggled as she slowly placed it back in its place. Their fondest memories were lined up in chronological order, starting with a picture of Lil and Angie's parents, a picture of Lil and Angie with their parents, a few of just Lil and Angie, the picture of Lil, Angie, and Wheatley, a few including the Androids and at the end was Wheatley and Lil's wedding photo, followed by a picture of Angie holding a newborn baby Chell.

Wheatley placed the picture of himself and Pam on the mantle at the very beginning. He knew deep down she was at peace now and would be happy at what he had accomplished. This thought gave him some ease as he remembered his time with her (or at least the parts his mind would allow him to remember).

Lil took down a picture of ATLAS and P-Body and smiled. "Angie misses them a lot. I wonder how they are doing…" Lil mused as she placed the picture back on the mantle. Wheatley placed his arm around Lil's shoulder, pulling her closer. He wished he could answer her.

Wheatley hated the sad look Angie got whenever she asked about "Mr. ATLAS and Miss Pee-Bee". Those two were as much a part of their family as if they were completely human. "I hate to admit it, but I miss them too. I don't know if I miss P-Body's knack for taking things apart or ATLAS showing off his android strength in public, but those two were irreplaceable. Just like you, Wheaters." Lil sighed softly as Wheatley kissed her cheek.

Wheatley walked with Lil out of the living room as the light of the moon gleamed through the window onto the picture of all five of them together.

The next day, Wheatley and Lil went to the apartment above the bookstore to pick up the remaining things. Wheatley refused to let Lil lift anything, so he found himself making a few trips to and from the Jeep. When he came back up, he found Lil standing in the middle of the living room, sighing softly. Lil still felt weird about renting out the apartment above the bookstore, but it was too small for their growing family.

Wheatley walked up and wrapped his arms around Lil with a smile. "This has been mine and Angie's home since we were born. It feels weird moving out and renting it to someone else." Lil lamented as Wheatley kissed her cheek. To Wheatley, it seemed like a lifetime (his recent one, anyway) flashed before his eyes. The phantoms came and went now and were less frequent. Normally, he dreaded it, but the phantoms of his time with Lil and Angie in this apartment made him smile.

He watched as the phantom of his first arrival played in front of him. With a soft smile, he held Lil tighter as the phantoms of good memories passed before his eyes. Lil smiled softly and Wheatley wondered if she could see them too. The apartment had been good to him and the girls, and now it could be good to someone else. "Let's go, Love." Wheatley whispered, taking Lil's hand.

Before Lil left, she had Wheatley take one last thing down to the Jeep; her mother's Companion Cube. Lil decided to give it a place of honor in their home, and not as an end table or a thing to be hidden away to avoid her emotions. It now sat beside the fireplace, where it would always be warm and loved like the pictures adorning the mantle. On top of it, sat a picture of Lil and Angie with their mother.

Wheatley had gotten used to life as a human long ago, but there were still concepts that went over his head. Sometimes it was pretty obvious to the neighbors, but he knew how to save face. With all the new people they had hired, Wheatley and Lil didn't have to be at the bookstores much, so life around the Pendleton household became routine. Angie spent most of her time with little Chelly or rearranging stuff in the house. Lil tried to force herself to take it easy but found it too hard. Wheatley and Dr. Rattmann busied themselves with household repairs while Lil took pictures.

Sometimes at night, Lil would find Wheatley standing outside, staring at the stars. Tonight, she found him sitting in a patio chair, strumming his guitar. Lil bought it for him as a wedding present and told him to give it a try one more time. She missed the guitar her father gave her, but she knew Wheatley only broke it trying to save her. Wheatley stopped strumming every so often, looking up as if trying to see something.

It worried Lil, but not as much as it used to. Lil decided to join him tonight, despite usually leaving him alone whenever he'd sit alone outside. "Did I ever tell you about the time I floated over a planet called Nirn while trying to find my way back to Earth?" he asked softly as he placed the guitar against the house. Lil rolled her eyes and chuckled. "Quite a tale, that one is. I bet Chelly would get a kick out of it."

The back porch had yet to be set up, as some of the patio furniture was mostly a pile of parts and the grill was still covered. Lil didn't like that Wheatley wanted a grill, considering she was a vegetarian. But she decided that if it took a few tries of almost setting himself on fire to get the idea of summer barbeques out of his head, she'd let him have it.

Lil giggled and put her hand on his back. Lil didn't ask what he was thinking about, but he knew she wanted to ask. "I can't believe it…" he murmured softly. "We have a house and our family is growing by the minute."

Wheatley held Lil as close as he could with her pregnant belly blocking most of the embrace. "Thank you…" Lil murmured softly.

"For what?" Wheatley asked as he placed her hands on his heart.

"I don't know if I ever told you this, Wheaters, but until you came into my life, I always felt I was destined to nothing more than the spot I was in. I thought I'd always be running my dad's bookstore while raising Angie all alone and jumping from one bad relationship to another. Then, you literally come out of nowhere and changed all that. I don't think I ever told you, but…thank you for stumbling into mine and Angie's life. Without you, I don't think I could have ever achieved such a level of happiness and inner peace. You taught me a lot about humanity as well, you know? If anything, you helped me regain my own lost humanity in the process of rebuilding yours."

Wheatley smiled as a shooting star fell in the distance. He didn't need to make a wish. He already had everything he needed and would ever need. He had Lil, and they had their growing family. Wheatley gazed up at a particularly bright shooting star and chuckled softly as he leaned his forehead against Lil's. A lifetime of memories was swirling through his head and a lifetime of memories was waiting to be made.

Wheatley sighed as Lil kissed his cheek again. "Anything worth doing is never easy. But as long as I have you by my side, Lil, I think I can take on the world."

"Let's take it on together, Wheatley." Lil smiled as Wheatley placed his hand on her stomach. As Wheatley felt his child kick within Lil, a strange sense came over him. New life was on its way into a world filled with love and understanding. Wheatley often thought about this. If he could make a strong marriage with someone as tough as Lil and somehow make life with her, maybe he wasn't as stupid as everyone perceived him to be.

Wheatley kissed Lil passionately as the other falling stars fell around them. Lil blushed, the light of the falling stars reflecting on her cheeks. "Thank you, Lil. Thank you for loving me, for taking me in, for showing me there is more to me than just a program, for helping me reconstruct my humanity, piece by piece…thank you, for showing me how to feel human again."

Lil went back inside, though Wheatley stayed outside just a little bit longer. With his hand on his heart, he gave the starry night a smile as the last of the shooting stars reflected off his glasses. He promised not to squander this gift and treasure it always. When he heard Lil call for him, Wheatley started to rush in, but he stopped himself one last time, smiling at the dwindling falling stars.

A lifetime of memories flashed before his eyes, and then a sense of calm. Everything had a place and now so did he.

As Wheatley's thoughts drifted to his new family, he felt at peace with himself for the first time in a long time. It was a long road and it often felt bumpy, but with his family backing him, Wheatley felt he could do anything. No one ever expected much from Wheatley, in his former life or his life as a core. Once, he was programed to be the dumbest moron who ever lived. No one ever thought he'd ever do more than make others stupid and he'd never be as human as he once was, if ever again. Now, he was proving everyone wrong. Wheatley was human. No one could tell him otherwise.

"Humanity…" Wheatley whispered to the sky. "…this is it…"

* * *

><p><em>"<strong>Reconstructing Humanity"<strong>_

**By Luna Peachie**

***Review and be merry, my loves. Good Night***


	30. Bonus Feature

_**A Little Something from Luna Peachie**_

**N'cha, you guys! Luna Peachie here with a pretty long author's note. It's just to settle some things and let you guys know about the process that went into making this fic. Think of it as a bonus feature on a DVD, if you will.**

**Where to start…AHH! I know; the idea for this fic!**

**To be honest, the idea of this fic had been circling in my head for quite some time while I was working on another project. I wasn't planning on starting it at that time but when I found it difficult to concentrate on the project I had, I decided to at least get some ideas down for when I did start this fic. What was supposed to be just an idea page turned into the first chapter and I decided to post it. Oh my, did it get quite a response! I wasn't expecting such a response for that one chapter! I was blown away! So, I decided to get to work on the second chapter right away and so it went!**

**Wheatley, as a character, wasn't hard for me to figure out. I had read a few human!Wheatley stories and I liked them a lot. Most of them, I'm sad to say, seemed to follow the same course: Wheatley comes back, finds Chell, less than two chapters later they're in love and it went from there. Though, there are some really great "Chelley" stories out there, don't get me wrong, I felt that the concept was a little overdone. So, I went about it in another way. I decided that Wheatley was going to be reintroduced to humanity by someone else. So, how does one make a human!Wheatley story but still stay true to the game? I didn't even know if I wanted to put Chell anywhere in this fic, but then an idea came to me. Not Chell, per say, but relatives of Chell!**

**The McLain sisters, Lillian and Angela or "Lil and Angie", were actually pretty spur-of-the-moment characters. I knew I wanted characters that had some kind of relation to Chell, so I decided to make them her daughters. I wanted to give a sense that she had gone on with her life and though she hadn't forgotten about Aperture, she had at least put it behind her. For a while, I was actually fighting with myself to even reveal Chell as Lil and Angie's mother so soon. I was planning on doing that around the end of the story, but the fans wanted Chell, and they wanted her NOW! So, despite myself, I revealed her earlier in the story than I had anticipated. Looking back at it now, I'm happy I did.**

**The age difference (Lil being 20-21 and Angie being 6) has always been a key note to me. The age difference was to help me personally as I tried to convey the older sister trying to relate to the younger sister. So, Lillian and Angela McLain became Chell's daughters, which helped with the flow of Wheatley's mission.**

**I never thought that those two would get such a positive response, but I got a lot of compliments about them. So, I've decided to keep these two and possibly incorporate them into some of my other fics (such as giving them little cameos and such) and possibly even giving them their own series over at fictionpress (after making some adjustments, of course). I haven't decided yet.**

**Wheatley stories, to me, always depicted Wheatley as one would call "a blank canvas". I always knew I wanted to have a story where the character felt he was battling his past and his present. Wheatley needed to come to terms with his former self as well as his construct self. So, I told myself; "Luna, give Wheatley more than just a personnel file as a life." Pam, Wheatley's girlfriend from his past, was always planned. I wanted something of a "ghost" to haunt Wheatley. Sometimes, a memory can be the most haunting thing and the flashbacks came about. **

**Am I happy with the story, overall? Yes, yes I am.**

**Am I sad that it's over? Unbelievably, but I take with me the experience of a lifetime. **

**Oh, did I mention? I'm planning a sequel! Oh yes I am! What is the sequel about? Well, you're all probably dying to know what happened to GLaDOS and the Androids and the facility. Maybe you're wondering who that group at the abandoned bus stop was. Maybe you're also wondering what happened to Robo-Wheatley... **

**Want to keep up with my hijinks and other updates? I have a deviantArt account: LunaPeachieWasHere is the name.**

**Well, what else can be said except…thank you, all of you. To the people that reviewed and helped me build my confidence as a writer, the lovely people here on fanfiction, particularly the ones that frequent the Portal section. I made some awesome friends while working on this story and I must say I think I'll take those with me the most. I want to thank everyone who faved me and my story, and I want to extend and extra thanks to those who reviewed my work.**

**In particular, I want to thank xXKatnissXx for being such a loyal fan and for the cute picture of Wheatley in a Gir hat, portalfan4351 for the private messages that kept me going, any and all works of fan art and fan mail I've received and/or will receive in the near future from my fans, and last but certainly not least, Sparky16, for being an all-around awesome person, loyal fan, and most importantly, a good friend.**

**Thank you everyone, for keeping me going through the good times and bad. I love you all. So, as always my loves…**

**Read, review, and most importantly, be merry.**

**With Love,**

**~Luna Peachie~**


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